Lemon Snowball Cookies

Published December 22, 2014. Updated November 15, 2023

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Lemon Snowball Cookies are a light and fresh addition to your Christmas Cookie spread—or any time of year. A snowball cookie is a classic, but the lemon flavor keeps it from being too overly sweet. These will have you licking your fingers and reaching for more. 

Lemon Snowball Cookies | Cooking Classy

This recipe comes from my favorite snowball cookie recipe which has actually been my most popular recipe this December. I took that recipe and incorporated vibrant and delicious lemon because lemon is one of my most loved flavors (you can see more of my lemon cookies here). During the holiday months, there are so many deep and rich flavors: caramels, chocolates, nuts, molasses, pumpkin, and more. Mixing it up with zesty and light lemon is such a welcome change! Trust me. These will go faster than your chocolate desserts.

I’m pretty sure I like these even more than the original! That’s expected from me though—doesn’t lemon just make everything better?

Lemon Snowball Cookies | Cooking Classy

Tips for Making Lemon Snowball Cookies

These cookies have that irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture, and you are going to just love the light tartness paired with the generous sugary coating. Try these cookies for your annual Christmas Cookie Exchange or with your New Year’s Eve celebration.

  • You can start these Lemon Snowball Cookies in advance by mixing and storing the dough in the fridge. Then roll and bake whenever you’re ready!
  • Add some festive sprinkles or a colorful food spray.
  • Try a taste test of traditional snowball cookies vs. lemon snowball cookies.
  • Make these lemon snowball cookies alongside your other Christmas cookies for a cookie exchange or neighbor deliveries.
  • Pair these cookies with lemonade or sweet tea during the warmer months—they’re perfect for a fancy tea party!

Additional Christmas Cookies to Try

Merry Christmas everyone!

Lemon Snowball Cookies | Cooking Classy

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

4.73 from 11 votes

Lemon Snowball Cookies

A melt-in-your-mouth bright and delicious tempting holiday cookie! 
Servings: 30
Prep25 minutes
Cook30 minutes
Chill30 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter on medium speed until creamy, about 20 seconds. Blend in 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Mix in lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla extract.
  • With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combine. Stir in almonds. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes, preheat oven to 350 degrees halfway through chilling.
  • Scoop dough out 1 Tbsp at a time and roll into a ball, then place balls on Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2-inches apart and bake in preheated oven for 14 - 16 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes then while cookies are still warm, pour 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar into a bowl and roll cookies in powdered sugar.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool then once cookies are cool, roll in powdered sugar once more, this time to generously coat (I pressed it into the powdered sugar to give it a thick coating). Store cookies in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts
Lemon Snowball Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 139 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 21mg1%
Potassium 28mg1%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 189IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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92 Comments

  • Maria F

    I just made these cookies and they have a funny after taste, and they don’t hold together. I followed the recipe exactly, and went back over it to see if I missed something….nope, I won’t be making these again!

  • Pam

    Disaster! Ended up with melted snowballs that wouldn’t even stick together. I read and reread the instructions multiple times trying to figure out what I might have done wrong. Was really looking forward to these only to be disappointed and feel like I wasted a lot of ingredients unnecessarily.

  • Cheryl

    Not exactly what I expected. I have a recipe that looks the same but is butter not lemon, some versions I think are Russian tea. I thought the cookie would be more delicate. Anyway, if I was to make these again, I would add more zest and juice as I didn’t find it had enough lemon flavor for my personal taste.