Toasted Sesame Snowball Cookies

Sesame Snowball Cookies are soft and buttery, loaded with crunchy toasted sesame seeds, and coated in powdered sugar. A delightfully “snowy” holiday cookie! Vegan.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 30

Total Time 1 5

Servings cookies

Calories 93kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

For the Dough:

1/2 cup raw sesame seed*
1 cup salted butter softened (I used dairy-free)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger or cardamom optional

For the Coating:

1 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Toast the Sesame Seeds: (If your sesame seed is already toasted, skip this step). Add the sesame seeds to a saute pan over medium heat and set a medium plate off to the side. Stir the seeds with a spatula frequently to ensure even cooking; toast until they are golden brown. This will take between 5 to 14 minutes depending on your stovetop. Immediately transfer the sesame seeds to a plate to let them cool; set aside.
Cream the Butter: Add the butter and powdered sugar to a large bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream them together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla to the butter and cream again until combined.
Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, cinnamon, and ginger or cardamom (if using) over the bowl with the butter. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until a thick batter forms. Once the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, add in the sesame seeds and fold them into the dough until everything is completely mixed.
Chill: Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. You can store the covered dough in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking the cookies, but if you store the dough for over 3 hours, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.
Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350F and set a large baking sheet aside; line the sheet with parchment paper if it is not nonstick.
Form the Cookies: Use a 1 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to form your cookie dough balls (my batch made 36). Use your hands to roll each ball into a smooth sphere, then place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. I was able to fit 18 cookies on one sheet to cook these cookies in 2 batches.
Bake: Bake the cookies in the middle rack of the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown and the tops are barely golden.
Dust: While the cookies are baking, spread the powdered sugar onto a large bowl or plate. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully roll each individual cookie in powdered sugar; place on a wire rack to let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Dust again: Some of the powdered sugar will melt into the cookies as they cool. Once the cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar one more time to get a nice even coat.
Serve & Enjoy: Serve as desired; store any leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Sesame Seed: I recommend buying untoasted sesame seeds and toasting them yourself for the best texture and flavor. Pre-toasted sesame seeds can be a little dry when purchased from the store.
Butter: If using unsalted butter add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to the dough in step 3. You can also make this recipe with softened refined coconut oil, but the cookies will be slightly more dry.
Powdered Sugar: You can make your own powdered sugar by blending 2 cups of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch together in a high-speed blender until smooth and fluffy.
Make-Ahead: Follow the recipe up to step 4; tightly wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap or seal in a ziploc bag. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe and baking the cookies. I recommend letting the dough sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes or so, to make it easier to scoop out your cookies.

Nutrition