The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Snowball cookies are a classic Christmas staple, known for their buttery crumb, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and snowy powdered sugar coating. But this recipe takes the traditional version to a whole new level with the addition of raspberry jam and almond flavor, creating soft, tender cookies with a sweet surprise inside.
These Raspberry Almond Snowball Cookies are festive, delicious, and absolutely stunning on any holiday cookie tray. The combination of nutty almond dough and tart, fruity raspberry jam creates the perfect flavor balance—sweet, nutty, bright, and rich all at once.
They taste like little powdered sugar truffles and look like something straight out of a holiday bakery. Best of all? They’re incredibly simple to make and bake in just minutes.
Whether you’re preparing cookies for a Christmas exchange, gifting homemade treats, or filling your holiday dessert table, these jam-filled snowballs are guaranteed to impress.
Why These Cookies Are Truly Special
✔ Jam-Filled Surprise Center
The soft raspberry jam center adds brightness and color to every bite.
✔ Almond-Infused Dough
Almond extract enhances the flavor and pairs perfectly with raspberry.
✔ Perfect Snowball Texture
Tender, buttery, and lightly crumbly—exactly how snowball cookies should be.
✔ Easy to Make and Perfect for Gifting
They keep their shape well, pack beautifully, and stay fresh for days.
✔ Naturally Festive
The powdered sugar coating creates a snowy, Christmassy look without extra effort.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Filling & Coating
- ½ cup raspberry jam (seedless preferred)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and almond extract; mix well.
- Add all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
- Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Chill dough for 20 minutes to make shaping easier.
2. Prepare the Filling
- Scoop ½ teaspoon raspberry jam onto a small plate and freeze for 10 minutes.
This prevents the jam from leaking while baking.
3. Shape the Cookies
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough.
- Flatten slightly, place a small ball of frozen jam in the center, and wrap dough completely around it.
- Roll into a smooth ball and place on a lined baking sheet.
4. Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake cookies 12–14 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden.
5. Coat in Powdered Sugar
- Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar.
- Once fully cooled, roll them again for a perfect snowy finish.
Raspberry Almond Snowball Cookies with Jam Filling
Soft, buttery almond snowball cookies filled with sweet raspberry jam and rolled in powdered sugar for a festive holiday treat.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, then add extracts.
- Mix in all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt to form dough.
- Freeze small scoops of raspberry jam.
- Wrap dough around frozen jam and roll into balls.
- Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar, then roll again when cool.
Notes
Double rolling in powdered sugar gives the best snowy finish.
Tips for Perfect Snowball Cookies
1. Freeze the Jam First
This keeps the filling neatly inside the cookie.
2. Don’t Overbake
Snowballs should remain light in color for a soft, tender texture.
3. Roll Twice in Powdered Sugar
Warm sugar = sticks to the cookies
Cool sugar = beautiful snowy coating
4. Use Almond Flour for Texture
Gives the cookies a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
5. Make Them Ahead
The dough and cookies both freeze beautifully.
Variations
Lemon Raspberry Snowballs
Add 1 tsp lemon zest to dough.
Chocolate Raspberry Snowballs
Mix in 2 tbsp cocoa powder and fill with raspberry jam.
Strawberry or Apricot Filling
Swap raspberry jam for any fruit jam you love.
Pistachio Snowballs
Replace almond flour with finely ground pistachios.
Serving Suggestions
These beauties pair perfectly with:
- Hot tea
- Holiday coffee drinks
- Hot chocolate
- Christmas dessert boards
- Cookie exchange boxes
They’re elegant enough for parties but simple enough for everyday baking.
Storage & Freezing
Room Temperature:
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator:
Keeps for up to 1 week.
Freezer:
Freeze unbaked dough balls (with jam inside) for up to 2 months.
Bake straight from frozen—add 2 minutes to bake time.
Fun Holiday Fact
Snowball cookies are known by many names around the world—Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, Italian snowdrops—but this raspberry-filled version is a modern twist that makes them extra special.
