Lemon Snowball Cookies
These easy-to-make lemon snowball cookies combine buttery shortbread withy a hint of tart lemon zest to create melt-in-your-mouth cookies coated in a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Perfect for brightening up a winter afternoon or adding a touch of sunshine to your holiday cookie tray.
Made with simple pantry ingredients like butter, icing sugar, flour and cornstarch, the addition of lemon zest gives them a bright lemon flavour that is a twist on a holiday classic. Coat them with as little or as much powdered sugar as you like for that personal touch.
These are one of those shortbread cookie I find myself making all winter long. They’re always a hit on my holiday cookie trays – right along side my Cherry Surprise cookies and the ever popular Cherry Chews.
Ingredients You Will Need
- butter
- confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- cornstarch (for that melt-in-your-mouth texture)
- all purpose flour
- lemon
How to make Lemon Snowball Cookies
In bowl of electric mixer, whip butter until light and fluffy. Confectioners’ sugar, flour and cornstarch.
Beat on low speed until well combined. Add zest of one fresh lemon to the mixture and beat again on medium speed until well blended.
Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, transfer dough to cookie sheets lined with parchment, then use your hands to form ball shapes. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, just until edges are slightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes then roll warm cookies into confectioners’ sugar to light coat.
Allow to cool completely and roll them in the confectioners’ sugar again to thoroughly coat.
Serving Ideas
Serve these with afternoon tea, pack them into holiday gift boxes to share with friends, or pop them onto your Christmas cookie tray for a pop of lemon flavour!
Variations
Replace the lemon zest with orange or lime for a different citrus flavour. Fresh lemon zest provides the best lemon flavour, but you can add 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract for an extra lemony flavour.
Tips for Best Results
- Use room temperature butter.
- Sift dry ingredients into butter to ensure a smooth batter.
- You can chill the dough for 30 minutes to prevent it spreading too much when baked.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or wrap well and store in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature and give them an extra coating of powdered sugar.
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Lemon Snowball Cookies
Equipment
- 1 electric mixer
- 2 cookie sheets
- small cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- zest of one lemon
- 1 cup additional confectioners' sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and line cookie sheets with parchment or non-stick baking mat.
- In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Sift confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and flour into the butter and mix on low until well blended. Add lemon zest and beat again at medium speed until well blended.
- Using a 1 tablespoon size cookie scoop, scoop dough out onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each. (You can also roll dough in your hands to create perfectly round balls). Bake at 375℉ for 10-12 minutes, just until edges are slightly golden. Transfer to cooling rack.
- Allow to cool a minute or two and then roll warm cookies into additional confectioners' sugar to lightly coat. Allow to cool completely and then roll into sugar again until well coated.
Hey Maureen. I subscribed. I don’t know why I didn’t do it before now. These lemon cookies look delicious ~ and so pretty ~ they would make a great gift for someone I know. Thanks for sharing.
Those look delicious! Wouldn’t they be yummy with a cup of coffee? 🙂
Thank you Stacey! The certainly are!!
Have never seen a recipe for lemon shortbread! These look delightfully scrumptious!
We love lemon anything in our home! Cannot wait to try them out!
Hi Maureen,
These cookies look scrumptious! Shortbread cookies are my absolute favourite cookie and lemon is my absolute favourite flavor. What a perfect pairing! So glad I found these.
Jan
I like this bright variation on the classic cookie!
I could eat several of these in one sitting! Shortbread cookie are my all time favorite. The added citrus sounds delicious.
I never thought to make lemon snowballs – I tend to make the traditional pecan ones but I love this idea!