This Orange Snowball Cookies Recipe is a fresh new spin on a holiday classic that is sure to make Santa extra happy this Christmas Eve.
Fresh orange juice and orange zest bring new life to a timeless holiday classic.
Orange Snowball Cookies Recipe
Oranges have long been connected with Christmas, thanks to St. Nicholas who is credited by many for starting the tradition of leaving these as gifts in stockings that were hung above the fireplace.
Back in the days of the Great Depression when money was scarce, oranges were commonly passed along as a gift of a rare luxury and nutritious food.
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- Fresh citrus zest will add life to just about any recipe.
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- We all know that reindeer love sugar, wait till they try this orange-laced stuff!
The holiday season is often associated with falling snow, special cookies and a time of gift giving. This Orange Snowball Cookies Recipe combines all of these elements into a delicious holiday cookie.
Our Snowball Christmas Cookies & Video
Our Snowball Christmas Cookies that we put together with Scott’s mom a while back have been getting a lot of attention all over the Internet, lately.
There’s a very good reason for this: They’re mouthwatering and delicious. Recently when our friends from The Daily Meal asked us to come up with snow-themed recipe, we used these cookies as a base and jazzed them up a notch or two.
These orange-laced beauties go together in minutes.
Using our handy kitchen microplane, we gave these snowball cookies a whole new flavor, using the zest of a fresh orange.
Candy canes are optional of course but they pair very nicely with these holiday cookies!
What else is in this Orange Snowball Cookies Recipe?
Butter
Powdered Sugar
Flour
Orange Zest
Orange Juice
Granulated Sugar
This Orange Snowball Cookies Recipe could hardly be any easier or more delicious and we hope you give them a try this holiday season. Santa will thank you for these and its very possible that Rudolph will fall for these as well, who could blame him?
Give Santa something to remember this year, with a plate of these Orange Snowball Cookies.
Orange Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- tablespoons juice from 1/2 of a mall orange about 2 .
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- tablespoons A coupe of of edible glitter (gold yellow or white.) Optional.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 °F.
- Using bowl mixer, combine butter and powdered sugar until creamed together.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon of orange peel, reserving the remaining.
- Mix in orange juice, then gradually add flour and mix until well incorporated.
- Roll dough into small (golf ball size) rounds and place on non-greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until firm.
- While cookies are baking, combine granulated sugar and remaining orange peel, place in small food processor and incorporate fully. If you don't have a food processor, mix the two together in a small bowl.
- When the cookies are finished baking, allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet. While cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar and orange peel mixture.
- Garnish with optional edible glitter and/or some orange zest.
Recipe Notes
If sugar coating does not adhere to cookies, created a sweet glue by mixing about a half cup of powdered sugar with a tablespoon or so of fresh orange juice. Roll the warm cookies in this bath and then coat with the sugar and orange peel mixture. You may have to press the sugar into the cookies, but don't give up as these are delicious!
Dan, we love lemon, but using Orange in these snowball cookies is a great idea, and I ( anna ) will definitely try this recipe using orange – a nice change from all the other flavors. Thanks for sharing.
Snowball cookies are so fun! I LOVE the orange addition, that’s one of my favorite flavors this time of year.
What a fun spin! I bet that the orange is so tasty and refreshing!
These look like perfect Christmas cookies! They would surely make Santa (me) happy, ha!
I’m thinking you’re right about that!
Such an unusual cookie recipe – I bet it tastes absolutely amazing! I don’t have a microplane, but I’m sure a small grater would work well too?
I remember my favorite aunt making a similar cookie in lemon and they were so good. I love how easy these are and they look like they are full of flavor!
I love snowball cookies, so I am sure I would love this orange version of them.
I love snowball cookies so much but I’ve never thought to add other flavors. I bet they amazing with orange!!
Zest is like a “thing” for me — I love the color and sparkle of these cookies, but I think I’d love that citrus aroma that’s sure to hit you when using fresh zest — even more!
These look like festive little bites. Perfect for the cookie tray. I know they would disappear fast!!
Snowball cookies are one of my favs. I love the addition of the orange peel!
These are beautiful. Oranges are a so much a part of the season. It wouldn’t be complete without a trip to a local grove (Pell’s Citrus & Nursery). Nothing like just picked citrus for eating or recipes. I love you explaining the tradition. I can’t wait to make this tasty treat for the the holidays! (The star rating is not working 🙁 This is a 5 star recipe.)
I love how simple this recipe is and they cookies look amaze-balls! Thanks!
These look so fun and delicious! LOVE citrus in the winter. 🙂
I love orange zest! These sound delicious!!!
Oh wow. Those look so delicate and delicious!
These snowballs look absolutely refreshing with all the citrus zest. I would love to have them for the upcoming parties.
These snowballs will be great for any party during winter months!
These look so fresh zesty and amazing. Would love to make a batch of these