Cinnamon Snowballs are a variation on traditional Snowballs, round, powdery butter cookies coated in powdered sugar. Traditionally, Snowballs are made with just butter, sugar, vanilla, flour and salt. Nuts are optional, but usually those nuts are pecans. Or at least in the Southern USA. These cookies are popular around the world and go by different names.
Cinnamon Snowballs
So Snowballs tend to follow the same formula, but this recipe is a little different. Obviously, the cinnamon is an addition. But along with the cinnamon these very crumbly cookies are made with cake flour and Corn Flakes cereal. The cereal makes them unique, but they are still identifiable as Snowballs.
Cinnamon Snowballs are perfect cookie exchange cookies because the cereal makes them a little more interesting. Plus who doesn't like Snowballs?
How To Make Cinnamon Snowballs
Here's the recipe rundown.
- Cream butter, salt, sugar and vanilla.
- Stir in cake flour, cereal and nuts.
- Scoop the dough onto parchment paper-lined pans.
- Shape dough into little balls and bake.
- Let cool slightly and roll in more powdered sugar. Once cool, roll in a little more powdered sugar.
Freezing Snowballs
Snowballs are not ideal for freezing (lol), but you can make and shape the dough and freeze it. Bake closer to the time you are ready to serve. Snowballs should keep fresh for about a week when closed in a tin.
Recipe
Cinnamon Snowballs
Ingredients
- 8 oz unsalted or salted butter, softened (228 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon salt Omit if you used salted butter
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (64 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups sifted cake flour 210 grams
- 2 cups cornflakes crushed after measuring
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Powdered sugar and extra cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon with an electric mixer. Stir in the cake flour followed by the cornflakes and nuts.
- Shape dough into small (¾ inch) balls. Arrange on cookie sheets (these don’t spread much) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Sprinkle with some extra cinnamon if you feel like it
- Yield will vary, but you should get between 32 and 40 cookies
Anna says
Hi Kathi,
I think they'd be fine without them. You could maybe add another tablespoon or two of cereal, but I do think they'd be good without the nuts. If you try it, let me know how it works out.
Kathi says
Do I have to use nuts for these? Love the idea but can’t have nuts.
marla says
IDENTICAL to the recipe my mom has made since we were little-a christmas favourite of ours for years:)
Deb says
Great! I made these tonight. I cut the butter down to 7 oz, and will probably cut it down to 6 oz next time - they were a bit oily for my liking. But that doesn't mean they weren't good - these were fantastic!
Carole Resnick says
These are in the oven right now. I got 39 cookies but I ate a cookies's worth of raw dough. So they must be a little larger than yours.
Yesterday's Chocolate Bundt was fantastic. Set almost 3/4 of cake to work with Al. But he can't have my cookies.
Nutmeg Nanny says
These look amazing! I love that you used corn flakes...genius!
Stephanie says
Wow, these look super dreamy!!!
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" says
I like the idea of corn flakes in cookies, especially because Momofuku Milk Bar does it so well. Love the new graphic on top!
snookydoodle says
yummy I love cinnamon! Nice recipe!
Katrina says
Ooh, them Christmas snowballs are one of my faves! Nice "flakey" twist!
bakingblonde says
What an interesting recipe! Love the idea of this
Anna says
Cathy, I think all purpose would work. You'd need to use less of it, though. Sifted cake flour weighs about 3.75 oz per cup and all purpose weighs about 4.5. So if you were to use all purpose flour, you'd need to use only about 1 2/3 cup or just weight out 7.5 oz. Another thing you could do (since cake flour not only weighs less but has less protein) is mix together 1 3/4 cup ap flour with 1/4 cup cornstarch, sift it well, then weigh out 7.5 oz of that mixture. Or just sift it really well, fluff it up and measure out a very fluffed 2 cups. If you're mixing in cornstarch, the volume will be more because cornstarch takes up more room but weighs less.
Cathy Webb says
I am always looking for new, yummy tasting cookie recipes. This one will be such a surprise for my cookie exchange!
Can't wait to try it!
What do you think reg. all purpose flour would do in the recipe/ just wondering.
Sue says
I bet the cornflakes and cake flour give these cookies a unique and interesting texture! Did you see that KA Flour is coming out with an unbleached cake flour? I can't wait to try that!
Carole Resnick says
These look soo good. If it is cool tomorrow.
Lisa Ernst says
These remind me of one of my favorite cookies - Mexican wedding cookies, but with cinnamon and cornflakes. I agree that these would be a great holiday cookie and a "must try" for me at that time.
hulagirl247 says
hi anna~
these look very tasty - and i am a big fan of the powdered sugar ball type of cookie so i know i will be adding these to my repetoire. will let you know how it goes after i make them. unlike you - i am not disciplined enough to do half or quarter batches - i jump straight into the deep end of the pool and then tweek the recipe if i feel it is needed.
as always - thank you for sharing!
regards~
~hula~