The Story & Intro
If there’s one treat that instantly transports me back to my childhood winters, it’s lemon snowball cookies soft, buttery little clouds dusted in powdered sugar, bursting with bright citrus. I remember being 8 years old, standing on a wobbly step stool in my grandmother’s tiny Parisian kitchen. I’d steal pinches of the dough when her back was turned, pretending I was just checking the texture. Spoiler alert: I was absolutely not. 😋
Bonjour my friends! 👋 I’m Lacamorea, a 31-year-old French girl who traded the cobblestone streets of Paris for the cozy kitchens of America 🇫🇷➡️🇺🇸. Ever since I could reach the countertop, I’ve been whisking, stirring, and sneaking tastes of cake batter when no one was looking 🍰😋. Cooking isn’t just my passion it’s my love language, my therapy, and my favorite way to make people smile.
When I moved to the U.S., the winters felt different colder, snowier, and somehow sweeter. To bring a little French sunshine into my new American home, I started baking lemon snowball cookies every December. Their fresh lemon zest reminds me of the Mediterranean summers, while the powdered sugar coating feels like the first snowfall of the season. It’s the perfect blend of my old world and my new one.
So today, I’m sharing my cozy, melt-in-your-mouth lemon snowball cookies recipe the one my friends beg for, the one my neighbor “just happens to stop by” for, and the one that brings warmth to even the chilliest winter afternoon. Let’s sprinkle some sweetness together, shall we?
⏱️ Time
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Chill: 30 minutes
- Bake: 12 minutes
- Total: ~1 hour
🛒 Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to create these bright, buttery snowballs:
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for coating)
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cream the Butter & Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until light, fluffy, and pale. This creates the melt-in-your-mouth texture we love in snowball cookies.
2. Add Lemon & Vanilla
Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. The citrus aroma will instantly brighten your whole kitchen like a little beam of sunshine.
3. Add Dry Ingredients
Slowly fold in the flour and salt. The dough will look a little crumbly at first that’s perfectly normal. Keep mixing until it forms a soft dough that holds together easily.
4. Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their round shape while baking.
5. Roll Into Snowballs
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms to form a ball. Place each one on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, or until they’re firm but still pale. You don’t want them browning snowballs should stay snowy!
7. Roll in Powdered Sugar
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar while they’re still warm so it sticks beautifully.
After they cool completely, roll them one more time for that extra-snowy look.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with hot tea, cocoa, or mulled wine
- Add a drizzle of white chocolate for an elegant twist
- Pair with lemon curd for extra citrus zing
- Gift in a cute tin lined with parchment paper
- Make a winter cookie board with peppermint bark, thumbprints, and ginger molasses cookies
Whether you serve these lemon snowball cookies at a holiday party or keep them “for yourself only” (zero judgment 😇), they always bring joy.
📝 Notes
- Butter must be truly softened. Cold butter = dry dough.
- Want extra lemon flavor? Add ½ teaspoon lemon extract.
- Gluten-free option: Substitute a 1:1 GF baking flour blend.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months.
🍽️ Nutrition (Per Cookie)
Approximate values:
- Calories: 108
- Fat: 7g
- Carbs: 11g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 1g
📄 Recipe Card
🍋 Lemon Snowball Cookies
⏱️ Total Time: 1 hour
🍪 Yield: ~24 cookies
🛒 Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for coating)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Cream butter + sugar
- Mix in lemon zest, juice, vanilla
- Add flour + salt
- Chill dough 30 mins
- Roll into balls
- Bake 10–12 mins at 350°F
- Roll in powdered sugar twice
📝 Notes
Soften your butter fully for the best texture!
Conclusion
There you have it my cozy, citrusy, oh-so-snowy lemon snowball cookies. Every bite is a little hug, a little sunshine, and a little nostalgia rolled into a bite-sized treat. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or just craving something sweet and bright, these cookies never disappoint.
From my French-American kitchen to yours… bon appétit, my friends! 💛🍋❄️