Amazing 12 Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

Oh my goodness, are you ready for the absolute coziest, warmest, most hug-in-a-cookie recipe you’ll ever bake? When the leaves start turning brown and I start pulling out my sweater collection, the first thing I crave is spice—and that means it’s time for my famous Gingerbread Snowball Cookies. Forget those rock-hard gingerbread men that break your teeth; these are different!

The magic here isn’t just the spices, though we have plenty of those. It’s the texture! We are aiming for a soft, slightly chewy interior that melts beautifully in your mouth, all wrapped up in a blanket of sweet, powdery snow. This recipe for Gingerbread Snowball Cookies has been my go-to for every winter holiday since I was tall enough to reach the flour bin.

My mom swore by this one because it’s so quick—you don’t have to chill the dough forever—but honestly, the way that deep, dark molasses works with the ginger and cloves just smells like Christmas morning to me. Trust me, once you try rolling these warm, fragrant little balls in that final dusting of sugar, you’ll never look back!

Why You Will Love These Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

I promise these Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are going to be the star of your holiday platter. They’re everything you want in a winter treat, without any of the fuss:

• They are unbelievably soft! Seriously, no hard edges or cracking teeth here. Just that perfect chewy center.
• The spice blend hits just right—warm, cozy, and full of that classic gingerbread flavor without being overpowering.
• You bake them fast, roll them quick, and they look stunning on a platter thanks to that snowy powdered sugar coating. They are just so pretty!

If you love that rich molasses flavor, you should also check out my recipe for chewy gingerbread cookie bars when you have time. But these snowballs? They are pure perfection.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

The secret to getting this soft cookie texture is using high-quality pantry staples and making sure they aren’t too cold when you start. We’re using basic items, but how you treat them matters a bunch!

Here’s what you need to line up before you even think about turning on the mixer. Remember, quality ingredients make the difference when you only have a few things in the recipe:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to just the right consistency—not melted!
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses. This is non-negotiable for that dark color and deep flavor.
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger—feel free to bump this up if you really love the kick!
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup powdered sugar, just waiting patiently for the final step.

Make sure your spices are fresh, too. Old, tired spices just won’t give you that lovely warmth these Gingerbread Snowball Cookies deserve.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

Okay, time to get messy! This recipe moves pretty fast once you start mixing, so have everything ready to go. Remember, we are aiming for soft Gingerbread Snowball Cookies, and the biggest secret to avoiding tough cookies is gentle mixing once the flour gets involved.

We definitely need to preheat that oven first and get our pans lined. You’ll want it at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lay down parchment paper on your baking sheets—it makes cleanup a breeze, which I always appreciate!

Mixing the Wet and Dry Components for Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

Start by getting your butter and sugar singing together! Pop them in a big bowl and beat them until they look light and fluffy. That takes a minute or two, but it introduces air, which is essential, even for a dense cookie like this. Then, just drop in the egg and that beautiful, dark molasses and beat until everything is totally combined.

Now, for the spices! Grab a separate bowl—don’t skip this, seriously. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. You really need to whisk this well; you don’t want one cookie getting all the cloves and another getting none! That even spice distribution is what makes these cookies taste consistently amazing.

Here’s my big word of advice: When you start adding those dry ingredients to your wet ones, you only mix until they *just* come together. If you over-mix once the flour is in, you activate all that gluten, and suddenly, you don’t have soft Gingerbread Snowball Cookies; you have little spice rocks! Stop the mixer the second you don’t see any more streaks of dry flour.

Shaping, Baking, and Cooling the Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

Once it’s mixed, roll your dough into nice even 1-inch balls. Try to keep them uniform so they bake evenly. Place them on your prepared sheets.

Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. You want the edges to look set, but seriously, do *not* overbake these! If they turn dark brown, they’ll be too crunchy. They should be soft when they come out, which is why we follow a two-step cooling process.

Let them hang out right there on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This lets them firm up just enough so they don’t fall apart when you move them. Then, gently transfer them over to a wire rack to cool completely. And I mean completely cool. If they’re even a tiny bit warm, they will melt the sugar coating!

If you’re looking for something similar but maybe richer, you might enjoy my molasses cream pie cookies sometime!

The Final Dusting: Achieving the ‘Snowball’ Look for Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

This is the fun part where they become snowballs! Once those cookies are totally cool—give them at least 30 minutes on the rack—it’s time for the powdered sugar bath.

Pour that cup of powdered sugar into a shallow dish. Take one cooled cookie at a time and roll it around in the sugar vigorously. You want a really thick, snowy coating all the way around. If you try to do this when they are even slightly warm, you end up with sticky orange blobs instead of perfect white snowballs, and nobody wants that!

Roll them, give them a little shake to knock off the excess, and then put them right back on a clean piece of parchment paper or a serving plate. That thick layer of sugar is vital for the final taste and texture!

Tips for Success When Baking Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

These Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are straightforward, but a few little tricks that I’ve learned over the years really push them from good to absolutely legendary. You want that perfect balance of soft bake and powerful spice, right?

First off, let’s talk about that ginger kick. If you think my recipe is a little gentle on the spice (and hey, some people like it roaring hot!), don’t be afraid to play around. I’ve found that sneaking it up to 2 1/2 teaspoons of ground ginger instead of the two teaspoons listed really enhances that famous warmth. It’s a total game-changer for the holidays!

My second must-do tip is all about the chilling, even though I said the dough doesn’t need *forever* in the fridge. If you’re seeing any spreading at all while they bake, just pop your dough balls into the freezer for about 15 minutes before they hit the oven. That little bit of chill stops them from flattening out too much while they set up in the heat. This keeps them nice and chunky like a true snowball.

Finally, for the best flavor payoff, though it takes patience—and you know how hard waiting is!—let these cookies sit overnight after you’ve rolled them in the sugar. The sweetness of the powdered sugar mellows out the strong molasses and spices just a hair, letting all those wonderful flavors marry up beautifully. They taste a million times better the next day. Seriously, try keeping your hands off them until the next morning!

If you are looking for more interesting cookie ideas after you’ve made these, check out my gingerbread cookie bars—they are fantastic for gifts!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

So, let’s talk about what happens when you run out of something critical, because it happens to all of us! While I truly think this recipe shines with the exact components listed, I want to make sure you know what you can tweak and what you absolutely shouldn’t touch if you want those perfect, soft Gingerbread Snowball Cookies.

The most important player here, without a doubt, is the molasses. It does so much work for us! It’s not just a sweetener; that thick, dark syrup gives us our signature deep color, keeps the cookies moist for days, and adds a distinctive, slightly bitter complexity that white sugar just can’t touch. Don’t try to substitute it all with honey or maple syrup, or you’ll end up with a totally different cookie—maybe a nice maple drop cookie, but not what we’re aiming for!

When it comes to fat, stick with the butter! Real butter creates that perfect crumb structure when creamed with the sugar. If you absolutely have to use it, you could substitute some of the butter with shortening, but I’d only replace half at most. Shortening makes things a bit puffier, and we want these cookies to feel relatively dense, like little snowballs, not like airy clouds.

Another thing: room temperature is key for the butter and the egg! If you drop cold butter in there, it won’t cream properly, and you miss out on those tiny air pockets we need for softness. Just remember, if you keep the major flavor components—the molasses and the spice blend—true to form, your Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are going to turn out great, no matter what minor tweaks you make to the structure!

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

One of my very favorite things about these Gingerbread Snowball Cookies is that they are fantastic make-aheads! You really don’t want to wait until Christmas Eve to bake, so make these ahead of time and give yourself a break. They are sturdy little guys, which is thanks to that molasses base.

The absolute best way to keep your snowballs fresh is simple: an airtight container at cool room temperature. I know that sounds basic, but it works like a charm! Don’t put them in the fridge, please. Cold air tends to dry out baked goods quickly, and we want to hold onto that soft interior we worked so hard for. Just stack them gently with sheets of wax paper between layers if you’re stacking them high so that lovely powdered sugar coating doesn’t get messy.

And here’s a little secret that makes me trust this recipe even more: they taste better on Day Two! I know! The marriage of the ginger, cinnamon, and clove really has time to deepen overnight, especially after they’ve absorbed a little bit of the powdered sugar coating. I usually tell people they are fantastic on the day they are made, but I keep a hidden stash in the pantry just for myself to enjoy the next day.

You can also totally freeze them! If you want to freeze them before the final sugar coating, that’s best. Just roll them into balls, place them on a baking sheet, flash freeze for an hour, and then move them to a freezer bag. When you want to bake them later, just pull them out, let them warm up just enough to handle, roll ’em in the sugar, and bake straight from slightly thawed. Easy peasy!

Serving Suggestions for Your Delicious Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

These little spiced delights deserve the very best company! Honestly, a Gingerbread Snowball Cookie is basically perfect on its own, but if you’re putting out a spread or settling down for a cozy evening, you need the right partner beverage.

If you’re serving these in the afternoon or after dinner, you can never go wrong with a steaming hot mug of coffee or black tea. The bitterness of the coffee works absolutely beautifully against the sweetness of the melted powdered sugar and the deep molasses flavor. It’s a perfect contrast, trust me!

For the kids, or just for a classic comfort pairing, a tall, cold glass of whole milk is the way to go. Dunking these little snowballs—just for a quick dip!—makes them even softer and brings out that cinnamon warmth. Don’t dunk too long or you’ll lose your lovely snowball coating!

Now, for the grown-ups, since it’s the holidays, we need something special to sip alongside that ginger! I just adore pairing these with something dark and rich. If you are looking for something non-alcoholic that still feels festive, you have to try making a batch of my Christmas Vanilla Bean Cold Brew. It has those lovely vanilla notes that complement the gingerbread spices perfectly.

If you wanted to mix up a little holiday cheer, these cookies are amazing with a spicy glass of mulled wine or even a little dark rum served neat. The spiced notes in the cookie really sing when paired with these deeper, warmer drinks. Enjoy every bite!

Frequently Asked Questions About Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

I always get so many questions when people try this recipe for the first time! It’s usually about keeping them soft or making sure they look perfectly powdered. Here are the main things folks ask regarding my recipe for Gingerbread Snowball Cookies.

How do I keep my Gingerbread Snowball Cookies from spreading too much?

Oh, spreading is the enemy of a good snowball shape! That usually happens when your butter is too warm, or if you over-mix the flour in, which we talked about being a big no-no. The best trick, aside from making sure your butter is only softened—not melty—is dough temperature right before baking.

If you’re worried, just scoop your 1-inch balls, place them on the parchment, and then pop the whole tray into the freezer for about 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating up. That brief chill sets the butter just enough so they don’t flatten out into thin little discs while they bake. We want them thick and round!

Can I use a substitute for molasses in these Gingerbread Snowball Cookies?

You certainly *can* try, but honestly, if you want these to be true Gingerbread Snowball Cookies, you should stick with molasses. Molasses is really unique; it’s what gives the cookies their deep, slightly earthy flavor and, crucially, that lovely dark color and incredible moisture lock.

If you absolutely must replace it, you could try a combination of honey mixed with a spoonful of dark brown sugar to try and mimic the thickness and color, but you will lose some of that signature spice backdrop. You might end up with a nice spiced cookie, but the flavor profile will definitely shift away from that classic gingerbread taste we love!

What is the best way to store leftover Gingerbread Snowball Cookies?

This is the BEST part because they store so well. You made a huge batch, right? Good job! Just make sure they are completely cool—I mean room temperature cool—before you even attempt the powdered sugar rolling! Warm cookies melt the sugar into that horrid glue.

Once they are fully coated and cooled, stack them gently in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay wonderfully soft for at least five days, sometimes longer. The key is keeping the air out so they maintain that soft gingerbread center. I wouldn’t bother with the fridge at all if you plan on eating them within a week!

Share Your Gingerbread Snowball Cookies Creations

Now that you’ve baked, rolled, and eaten most of these wonderful Gingerbread Snowball Cookies (I know you have!), I really, truly want to hear what you thought!

Please, please take a second to leave a star rating right down below. It helps other nervous bakers know that this recipe is reliable and delicious. Did you use my tip to boost the ginger? Tell me how that worked out for you!

If you snapped a photo of your snowy batches—maybe they look a little wonky or maybe they look absolutely magazine-perfect—tag me on social media! Seeing your holiday baking makes my day and reminds me why I love sharing these family recipes. Hearing your experiences makes the cooking process feel like a big, warm kitchen gathering. Happy baking, friends!

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