These simple but delicious shortbread-like cookies with cream cheese always look so pretty on a holiday cookie tray!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy-to-make, yet beautiful holiday cookie, these Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies are sure to be a hit on your holiday cookie platter this year.
These cookies are a little bit sugar cookie, a little bit shortbread, and a little bit cheesecake, all in one tasty little package! You really can’t go wrong with that combination of flavors.
And with a sprinkling of powdered sugar to finish them off, these cookies always look so pretty. Kind of like they’ve been covered in a dusting of freshly fallen snow.
I actually usually do a double dusting of powdered sugar, once when I make the cookies, and again when I serve them. It’s especially important to dust the cookies before serving if you’ve had them in the freezer.
That’s because when you thaw the frozen cookies, the condensation from the freezer can make the powdered sugar damp and hard to see. The cookies will still taste delicious–they’ll just look nicer with that second sprinkling of sugar.
I love that these little cookies are so easy to make, with ingredients you probably already have on hand, and don’t require spending lots of time in the kitchen.
They’re the perfect thing to include in a hot cocoa bar, and are easy enough that kids can help with the recipe. What a great way to start family traditions and build memories!
A fun alternative to sprinkling with powdered sugar is dipping the cookies in chocolate. They still look fantastic, and taste incredible.
When I dip them in chocolate, I like to cover about half the cookie. It makes for a great presentation. You can use dark, milk or even white chocolate.
However you decide to finish these Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies off, they’re sure to become a holiday favorite.
Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Ingredients
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Powdered sugar
Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar for dusting cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together at high speed until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until fully incorporated, 1-2 minutes more. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Do not over-mix.
- Shape the dough into one inch balls, and place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. The batter will be sticky. If it seems to sticky to handle, put it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they just began to brown. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar.
Video
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
If you love this recipe, you might also like:
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
Cherry Pecan Sliced Shortbread
Festive Christmas shortbread cookies with cherries and pecans. Freeze the dough until you're ready to slice and bake your holiday cookies.
Pecan Sandies Shortbread Cookies
Delightful pecan shortbread cookies coated in powdered sugar. A holiday cookie classic!
Cranberry Cowboy Cookies
Loaded with chocolate chips, toffee, oats, and dried dates and cranberries, these spiced cookies are perfect for fall and the holiday season too.
Frosted Eggnog Sugar Cookies
Big, bakery style sugar cookies are infused with eggnog and nutmeg, then finished off with a creamy eggnog frosting. Say hello to your new favorite holiday cookie!
Four Spice Crackle Cookies
Chewy, gingersnap style cookies with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Perfect for the holiday season!
Russian Teacake Squares
All the flavors of a classic Russian Teacake cookie, in an easy to make bar cookie form.