Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies – Festive Holiday Treats
So… Raspberry Almond Snowballs? Let Me Tell You
Alright, friend—let’s have a real talk about Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies. First time I ever tried these, it was snowing like mad outside and the heat went out. I made them anyway—gloves on (not recommended), radio blaring, kids zooming underfoot. I think I ate more dough than I baked (don’t tell). But listen, these are not your run of the mill holiday cookies; they’ve got this soft almond crumb and the sort of surprise raspberry center that makes even my picky cousin Dan come crawling out of his grump cave. Oh, and fair warning: if you leave these on the counter overnight, you might return to find them “mysteriously” vanished. True story, happened last Christmas—call it the Great Snowball Heist.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
I make these whenever someone groans about plain sugar cookies (you know the ones—crunchy, dusty little suckers), or if I want to bribe the neighbors into bringing my recycling bins up. My family goes nuts for these because, well, they’re honestly like tiny edible presents. That tangy raspberry jam in the middle tides over my craving for tarts without needing to make a full pie. And—confession time—sometimes I get a bit messy with the filling and end up with jammy hands, but hey, that’s part of the charm, right? If you’re ever feeling like the stress of the holidays is about to get you, just start scooping dough… these really do help.
What You’ll Need (and What I Sometimes Swap In)
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened (or, let’s be honest, sometimes I use salted and just skip the extra pinch of salt)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar, as my gran called it)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract – I once tried almond extract only and it was, well, a bit much. Half almond, half vanilla though? Gorgeous.
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour (my aunt swears by King Arthur; any brand works for me)
- 3/4 cup finely ground almonds (I use almond meal, but blitz whole almonds if you only have those, just don’t stress if there are chunky bits—adds character!)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam (seedless preferred, unless you like the crunch)
- Extra powdered sugar for rolling – not optional, but once I ran out and used vanilla sugar, it was wild but pretty nice actually
Making the Magic: My (Imperfect) Snowball Cookies Method
- Creaming the butter. Use an electric mixer, or get in there with a wooden spoon if you want some arm work. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together till it’s fluffy and almost looks like frosting; this is where I usually sneak a taste, just sayin’.
- Add the vanilla (and optionally almond) extract. Mix that in. Sometimes I have to remind myself not to measure directly over the bowl—one time I “generously” poured half the bottle in! Cookies still got eaten.
- Combine the dry stuff. Toss together the flour, salt, and ground almonds in another bowl. Slowly add to the buttery mix. Don’t panic when it looks crumbly—it’ll come together if you keep mixing, I promise.
- Chill the dough. This part makes a difference—set it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Once I skipped this and everything just sort of… melted. Not ideal, but tasty.
- Scoop and fill. Grab a tablespoon of dough, flatten it out a bit (like making tiny pizza bases), plop a little dollop (about a half-teaspoon?) of raspberry jam in the center, and gently fold the dough around it. Roll it into a ball with your hands—don’t worry if some jam oozes out; that’s just a sneak peek of what’s inside. Place finished balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or, as I found out one year, greased foil in a pinch—it’ll stick more, but it’ll work).
- Bake. 350°F (175°C) for 13 to 16 minutes, until they’re barely golden underneath but still pale on top. (And yes, they smell amazing.)
- Roll in sugar. While still just a tad warm, gently roll each ball in extra powdered sugar. Don’t burn yourself—learn form my mistake! Cool on a rack completely.
Some Notes I Picked Up Along the Way
- Use a small ice cream scoop if you want uniform balls—otherwise, just eyeball it. Good enough for me.
- If your jam is super runny, stick it in the fridge while you prep the dough—it thickens up and is easier to work with.
- One time I tried strawberry jam, which was okay but somehow felt all wrong. Maybe that’s just nostalgia talking; raspberry just fits.
Want to Change Things Up? Here’s My Hit-or-Miss List
- Lemon zest in the dough? Really good, especially with raspberry. Orange does weird things here, though. Not my finest moment.
- Blueberry jam—bit too sweet, kinda lost the almond flavor. But apricot? Surprisingly nice, almost like a different cookie.
- Tried making these with gluten-free flour once—texture was more sandy, but in a pinch, it’s still a treat (maybe just bake a couple minutes less).
The Stuff You’ll Want (But Don’t Panic If You Don’t Have)
- Electric mixer, but honestly, a fork and some determination work too
- Baking sheet (I use the same warped one from college—it’s fine)
- Parchment paper (Or foil, or just grease the heck out of the pan. Just expect surprises getting them off)
- Rack for cooling (Sometimes I just flip a grate from the toaster oven—don’t judge!)
Keeping Them Fresh (Ha! If You Can)
You can stash these in an airtight tin for about 4 or 5 days, but honestly…I don’t think I’ve ever had a batch last past 24 hours. If you do want to freeze ‘em, just wait till they’ve cooled, then stack with parchment between the layers. Defrost at room temp. That said, my friend swears they taste better slightly chilled. Who am I to argue?
How I Like to Serve These (And How My Kids Do)
Fancy platter? Sometimes. More often, it’s just a big pile in the middle of the kitchen table and a pot of tea. But if I’m feeling extra, I serve ‘em with spiced apple cider (here’s my go-to apple cider recipe). My oldest insists on dunking them in milk—controversial, but hey, no wrong answers.
Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)
- Don’t be tempted to overfill the cookies with jam. I once tried to double up and ended up with a tray of lava cookies (tasty, messy, stuck everywhere).
- Let the cookies cool a few minutes before rolling in sugar—right away and it just melts, wait too long and nothing sticks. It’s a narrow window!
- If you get impatient and skip chilling the dough, you’ll get more of a crispy-edged thing. Not bad, but not really a snowball, either.
Questions I’ve Actually Heard (With My Real Answers)
- “Do I have to use raspberry jam?”
Heck no! Try blackberry, currant, apricot (actually, that’s pretty great), just avoid anything super runny or it’ll escape like mine did that one year. But honestly, raspberry is classic. - “Can I make these ahead?”
Yep, dough can chill overnight—sometimes I like the flavor more the next day; just be sure to let it soften a tad before scooping. And baked cookies freeze like a dream. Check out this freezer guide if you’re a planner: King Arthur’s cookie tips. - “What if I don’t have almonds?”
No worries—you can sub in hazelnuts or pecans (nutty, a bit different, but it works). Or, you can leave them out and up the flour by a quarter cup; just not quite as rich, but still very decent! - “Why are mine flat?”
Oof, probably too warm going into the oven, or too little flour. Try chilling longer next time. Don’t feel bad, happens to everyone at some point (or at least it happens to me… more than once, honestly).
Life’s too short for perfect cookies, yeah? Give these a go, make a mess, enjoy the process. And don’t forget to check out Serious Eats’ cookie science tips if you wanna deep-dive into cookie nerd-dom. Happy (slightly powdered) baking!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely ground almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
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3Add vanilla extract, milk, flour, ground almonds, and salt to the bowl. Mix until a soft dough forms.
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4Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough, flatten it in your palm, place a small dollop (about 1/2 teaspoon) of raspberry jam in the center, then fold the dough around the jam and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough.
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5Place cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the bottoms are just golden.
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6Let cookies cool for 5 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar while still warm. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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