Equipment Needed
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
- A shallow bowl for powdered sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
We start by building our cookie base. In your mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and very pale. This should take a good 2-3 minutes. Don’t rush this step—this creaming process creates the cookie’s tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Once it’s fluffy, beat in the vanilla and peppermint extracts. If you’re using the green food coloring, add it now, one drop at a time, until you get a very pale, minty green hue.
Now, we add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated and a soft dough forms. The moment you no longer see dry flour, stop the mixer. Overmixing is the enemy of a tender snowball cookie. Then, using a spatula or your hands, gently fold in the mini chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
Here’s the fun part: shaping the snowballs! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them firmly between your palms into smooth, 1-inch balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets—they won’t spread much, but they need a little room. I like to make sure my hands are clean and dry for this. The sight of all those green-speckled balls lined up is so cheerful.(See the next page below to continue…)