Cherry Snowballs are soft, delicate cookies with a hidden cherry inside! These bite-sized maraschino cherry cookies are made with a buttery dough that is wrapped around cherries, topped with a powdered sugar glaze and rolled in coconut flakes.
These coconut snowballs are a classic cookie that have been enjoyed for generations. They are often served at holiday parties and cookie exchanges, and are a favorite among both kids and adults. The bright red cherry center and snowy white coconut flakes make these cherry almond cookies a beautiful addition to any holiday dessert table.
History and Origin of Cherry Snowball Cookies
Cherry Snowball Cookies are a popular treat during the holiday season. These small, round cookies are typically made with butter, powdered sugar, flour, chopped nuts, and a cherry in the center. We have modified the classic recipe to add a few fun and flavorful twists!
The addition of oats to the cookie dough create an incredible chewy texture and the sweet glaze on top sweetens them up a bit too! Roll these cookies in the coconut “snow” to create the snowball affect and add another depth of amazing flavor. Overall, Cherry Snowball Cookies are a delicious and festive treat that are perfect for the holiday season!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Cookie Recipe
- Easy to Make: The recipe is simple and easy to follow, making it perfect for novice bakers. With just a few ingredients, you can whip up a batch of these cookies in no time.
- Delicious: These cookies are sweet, buttery, and bursting with cherry flavor. The combination of almond extract and cherry gives them a unique taste that is sure to please your taste buds.
- Perfect for the Holidays: These cookies are a festive addition to any holiday spread. Their round shape and coconut coating make them look like little snowballs, adding a touch of winter charm to your dessert table. Pack them up in a cute tin or box and give them as a homemade present that is sure to be appreciated.
Ingredients for Cookie Cherry Snowballs
Butter: You will need 1 cup of butter for a rich tasting cookie dough.
Powdered sugar: For a sweet and soft cookie, use ½ cup of powdered sugar.
Water: Add in 1 TBSP of water as part of the cookie’s texture.
Vanilla extract: Using 1 tsp of vanilla extract helps enhance the amazing flavors in this dessert recipe.
Almond extract: By adding in ½ tsp of almond extract these delicious treats will be even more flavorful.
Flour: The base of this cookie dough is 2 cups of flour.
Oats: Adding in ¾ cup of quick-cooking oats gives this dough a nice chewy texture.
Salt: Balance all the wonderful flavors by using ½ tsp of salt.
Cherries: The center of these delightful treats is cherries, you will need 36 maraschino cherries, patted dry.
Coating
Powdered sugar: For a sweet glaze, you will need 2 cups of powdered sugar.
Milk: Add in ⅓ cup of milk, give or take a little, to create a smooth consistency.
Coconut: Top each cherry by rolling them in 2 cups of flaked coconut, finely chopped, for the snow capped effect.
Step by step on how to make Cherry Snowballs
Prep
Get started by preheating the oven to 350°F.
Dough
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, water, vanilla and almond extracts. Using an electric mixer such as a Kitchen Aid or a hand mixer makes this step easier.
Next, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats and salt; then gradually add this to the creamed butter mixture.
After that, shape a TBSP of the dough around each cherry, forming a ball.
Bake
Place the wrapped cherries about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Then place in the preheated oven and back for 18-20 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly browned.
Remove the cherry cookies from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Glaze
In a small bowl, combine the powder sugar and milk to achieve a smooth dipping consistency. Continue to dip the cookies in the glaze, then roll in the coconut flakes.
Let the cookies cool and set. Serve and enjoy!
Variations of Coconut Cherry Snowball Cookies
Coconut cherry snowball cookies are a delicious treat that can be made in many different ways. Here are a few variations to try:
- Chocolate Cherry Snowball Cookies: Add cocoa powder to the dough mixture for a decadent twist on the classic recipe.
- Almond Cherry Snowball Cookies: Swap out the coconut for ground almonds and add chopped cherries to the dough mixture.
- Orange Cherry Snowball Cookies: Add orange zest and juice to the dough mixture. Then roll the cookies in orange-flavored powdered sugar for a citrusy twist.
- Gluten-Free Cherry Snowball Cookies: Use gluten-free flour and oats in the dough mixture. Roll the cookies in powdered sugar for a sweet finish.
CHERRY SNOWBALLS
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 TBSP water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ tsp salt
- 36 maraschino cherries patted dry
Coating:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 cups flaked coconut finely chopped
Instructions
- Prep: Start by preheating the oven to 350°.
- Dough: In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, water, vanilla and almond extracts. Use an electric mixer such as a Kitchen Aid or a hand mixer to simplify this step.
- Combine flour, oats and salt; gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture. Shape a TBSP of dough around each cherry, forming a ball.
- Bake: Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
- Glaze: Combine sugar and enough milk to achieve smooth dipping consistency. Dip cookies, then roll in coconut. Let cool to set. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Serving and Storage Recommendations
Cherry snowball cookies are best served at room temperature. To achieve this, remove the cookies from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
How can I ensure my cookies remain soft after baking?
To ensure your cherry snowball cookies remain soft after baking, store them in an airtight container. Adding a slice of bread to the container can also help to keep the cookies soft.
What is the shelf life of homemade snowball cookies?
Homemade cherry snowball cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If stored in the refrigerator, they can last up to two weeks. These cookies can also be frozen for up to three months.
Can coconut be incorporated into snowball cookie recipes?
Yes, coconut can be incorporated into snowball cookie recipes. Simply replace a portion of the flour with shredded coconut and follow the recipe as directed. This will add a delicious coconut flavor and texture to the cookies.
Try more amazing fruit cookie recipes here:
- Blueberry Cream Cookies
- Cherry Pie Cookies
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Raspberry Meltaway Cookies
- Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Cream Pie Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Apricot Cookies
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Lemon Pudding Cookies
- Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Caramel Banana Cream Pie Cookies
- Peach Snickerdoodles
- Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Frosted Orange Juice Cookies
Cherry Snowballs are sweet, soft and fruit filled cookies that are a delightful addition to your holiday season! Maraschino cherry cookies are a tender buttery dough wrapped around juicy cherries, covered with a powdered sugar glaze and rolled in nutty coconut flakes.
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