1. Prepare the dough:
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to ensure your cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.
Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step should take about 2-3 minutes. The key here is to ensure the butter is well softened to create a smooth dough, so take the time to bring it to room temperature if needed.
2. Add the flavorings:
Once the butter and sugar are creamy, add the vanilla extract, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cloves. Continue mixing until all the spices are evenly incorporated. The aroma of the spices will fill the air, signaling that the holiday season is near!
4. Shape the cookies:
Once the dough is ready, it’s time to form the snowballs. Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll it between your hands to form a ball. Place each dough ball on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between each one. You should be able to fit about 12 cookies per sheet.
5. Bake the snowballs:
Bake the gingerbread snowballs in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Keep a close eye on them as baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven and the size of your dough balls.
Once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Roll in powdered sugar:
The signature step that makes these cookies “snowballs” is the powdered sugar coating. After the cookies have cooled to room temperature, place a generous amount of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently roll each cookie in the sugar to coat it thoroughly, then place it back on the cooling rack.
