If subzero temperatures and piles of the white stuff have you huddled over a cup of something hot, what you need is a plate of Cinnamon Snowball Cookies to nibble and dunk.
I’ve been in South Carolina for the last two weeks trying to help my mom a bit as she regained her strength after a hospital stay. The day I left South Carolina the temperature was almost 60. Today I am home in St. Louis, and the temperature is 15. If there is such a thing, I am in temperature shock. Bring on the hot chocolate and cookies!
Though I love living in the Midwest, I am no longer the snow enthusiast I was when I was younger. When I was a college student long ago, I had this crazy idea that I wanted to live in Minnesota. I had grown up watching the Mary Tyler Moore Show about an independent young woman making her way in the world while living and and working in Minneapolis. For me, living in Minnesota symbolized being a grown-up and pursuing your dreams. I wanted to be my own version of Mary standing on the sidewalks of Minneapolis jubilantly throwing my hat into the air. I never thought about the subzero temperatures and mountains of snow that make up a Minnesota winter. Even if I had thought about it, I probably would have considered it part of the adventure.
This snowy weather wimp never did live in Minneapolis, but settled in St. Louis instead. I did live in Chicago for a year where it was plenty cold, snowy, and most of all blustery. I also visited my daughter in college almost monthly during her 4 years of college in Des Moines, Iowa which has more than its fair share of ice and snow, and I continue to visit my son in college in Chicago despite last year’s January record (for me) of a -45 degree wind chill!
We do get snow in St. Louis, a few storms with an average annual snowfall of only about 17”. I am awed by my friends who live and thrive in extremely cold and snowy locations. Recently, Kathie from Homespun Seasonal Living tweeted from her Montana home that 15 inches of snow had fallen overnight and it was still snowing! Chris from Joybilee Farm mentioned on a Facebook post that the temperatures had dipped well into the negative numbers at her homestead in British Columbia. I am totally awed at how these women embrace the seasons. Though I can’t do it in person, I would like to offer both of these ladies a big virtual mug of steaming herbal tea with a virtual plate of Cinnamon Snowball Cookies to help them stay warm and cozy.
Cinnamon Snowball Cookies are crunchy butter cookies with both ground cinnamon and cinnamon chips in the dough. Unlike traditional snowball cookies, this recipe contains no nuts. The cinnamon flavor is the star of this cookie. Like traditional snowball cookies, this cinnamon version is coated in confectioners’ sugar, giving them a snowy appearance perfect for the Snow theme of my January military care package. Tune in Monday for the details on that box of wintery treats.
Cinnamon Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup superfine sugar or granulated sugar ground in a food processor
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
- 1-2 cups confectioners’ sugar for coating cookies
Directions
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon at low speed.
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Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until crumbs form, then add the vanilla and cream cheese just until dough begins to form.
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Mix in cinnamon chips, then knead a few times by hand until the dough is smooth.
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Form into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate to firm the dough for about 30 minutes.
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When ready to bake:
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Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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Roll the dough into 1” balls and place 2” apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the top is firm and the bottom just begins to brown.
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Cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes then cool completely on a wire rack. When the cookies are completely cool, roll them in a bowl of confectioners’ sugar to coat.
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Store at room temperature in an airtight container, with wax paper between layers of cookies, for up to one week.
Packing Tips
In a plastic food storage container, place cookies in layers separated by wax paper. Balled up wax paper can be placed between the top cookies and the lid to ensure no movement within the container during shipping. Wrap the entire container in plastic wrap or place in a freezer weight ziplock bag.
Welcome home, Wendy, even if it is back home to freezing temps. We had been relatively lucky this winter in NJ (I didn’t dare say it out loud for a while) but we finally had snow again this week and the temp has really dropped. I used to love winter, but no more. I would much rather enjoy snow in the form of your snowball cookies and something hot to drink. And you know I’ve always been fond of Minnesota…I’m a big fan of ‘Golden Girls’ and you know Rose was from Minnesota. : )
Thanks, Monica! It is good to be home (both my real and blog home) with my mom doing well. I can deal with low temperatures, bundling up until I look like a marshmallow, but the ice and snow scare me. Wintery white stuff is beautiful to look at, but can make for some dangerous walking/driving conditions. I would like to think that makes me sound cautious… but probably it just makes me old. 🙂 Cuddling up (fireplace optional but recommended) with a hot cup of something delicious and a plate of cookies is the best part of winter! Isn’t it funny how fictional tv characters can make real places so appealing?! Of course, by the time we all met Rose, she had given up snowy Minnesota winters for Florida! 🙂
Reading your post made me crave for hot chocolate and cookies! I live in the midwest too, in my first winter – and it has been a temperature shock for me… I love snowball cookies too! I’ve never made snowball cookies without nuts, and it looks amazing! So delicate and crumbly!
My winter advice, Dini, is invest in thermal layers (I love Underarmour) and insulated snow boots with good traction! Feeling cozy and warm makes all the difference. 🙂 From what I have read, I understand that snowball cookies with ground nuts have a more delicate and melt in your mouth texture. These are crumbly but also more like a crunchy sugar cookie. Different, but delicious!
I hope your mom is doing better!! And adding cinnamon chips?? GENIUS!
My mom is doing much better. Thank you, Dorothy! Cinnamon is a favorite of mine and always does well on the blog. My readers appear to like cinnamon as much as I do! Also, you have all my other favorite no nuts snowball cookies already covered on Crazy for Crust! 🙂
I hope that your mom is doing well Wendy!! And I hear you on the cold – I’m in NJ to help out my grandma with a few things and it’s been so bitterly cold here! Definitely bring on the hot cocoa and cookies! I have a huge soft spot for snowballs – these look just perfect!
How wonderful to be able to spend some time with your grandma and be able to help her! Everyone (with the possible exception of south Florida!) seems to be having hot cocoa and cookie weather. Bad for New Years healthy eating resolutions but good for the soul. Everything in moderation. 😉
Wendy….these are snowballs I would welcome anytime! They look so delicate and sweet! Perfect with a hot drink on a cold day! I hope your mom is doing well. Happy new year to you and your family! : )
Thanks, Anne! I am excited to see you are back to blogging! 🙂 The crumb on these cookies is melt in your mouth but they are sturdy enough to travel well in a care package. 🙂 Happy New Year to you and your family, too!
Oh yummy! These look so good. I, too, am not as big a snow enthusiast as I was when I was younger. I hope your mom is doing well. Happy 2015!
~Liz (Project Pastry Love)
Thanks, Liz! My mom is much better. Living far away is always hard, but when someone needs you it is even harder. I LOVE the pretty Meringue Hearts you just posted. They will make a great Valentines treat! If I can figure out how to box them up carefully, I plan on sending some to my mother!
i echo your snow sentiments, Wendy. I still get a little romantic about it, but i’ve got a theory on this, and that’s that snow gets exponentially less fun and exciting when you have to drive small children to school in it, and they have to be there at a certain time. It’s only fun when you have control over where you have to be at while it’s happening, i think. 🙂
as for these cookies: perfect! cinnamon is just the thing to warm up my January, for sure.
The other thing about small children and snow is the bundling. Layers and layers of hats and gloves and snow pants and boots! Just as soon as you have them ready to go….they have to use the bathroom….and then everything comes off and you start over again. 🙂
Ok so I have no cream chz:/ do you think it would bomb if I did Greek yogurt instead??:)
I am honestly not sure, Sal. BUT I would try subbing additional butter instead of the cream cheese rather than the yogurt. I love using Greek yogurt to add moisture to loaf breads and cakes and use it instead of sour cream. I THINK that the cream cheese here is more a fat than a moisture provider. I know it wouldn’t bomb with extra butter but might be a bit less melt in the mouth and a bit more shortbread in texture (not necessarily a bad thing). Good luck! Please let me know what happens because now I am really curious! 🙂
Yummy Recipe~! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Sharing on G+! Have a great week!
Kim
These sound and look amazing!!! 🙂
Thanks!
Lots of cinnamon…I’m in!!!
Thanks, Colleen! Cinnamon is a favorite of mine too.
I’m in love with your snow covered cinnamon cookies. I would not have thought that there’s cream cheese in there. Such goodness! Glad to have found this. 🙂 #FiestaFriday
Thank you, Ann! The cream cheese is incorporated into the dough and makes the cookies melt in your mouth. I hope you enjoy them!
I love snowball cookies and I really like how you have incorporated the cinnamon! Thank you so much for sharing these delicious little treats with us at Hearth and Soul.
Thanks, April! I add a little cinnamon every chance I get! Thanks for hosting Hearth and Soul!
This sounds so good! I love that it has NO nuts! Pinned.
Thanks! I am glad this nut-free recipe works for you. Most of my recipes are completely tree nut free, because of my own allergies.
These were always a favorite when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday. Happy FF! Pinned!
Thanks, Quinn! I love it when food brings happy memories to mind! Thank you for hosting Fiesta Friday!
Your Snowball Cookies looks so good, I just love a snowball cookie. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks, Miz Helen! I love snowball cookies too, but a nut-free version is hard to find! Have a great week!
These look so tasty! I love desserts that are heavy on the cinnamon… Cinnamon ANYTHING is my jam. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday.
Thank you Donella! We share the same jam! Thanks for hosting Funtastic Friday.