These chocolate snowball cookies are soft, fudgy, and packed with mini chocolate chips. They melt in your mouth and are dusted in sweet powdered sugar, an easy holiday favorite!
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
1 & 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add in the flour, salt, and cocoa powder and mix to combine. Make sure to not overtax the cookie dough. Fold in mini chocolate chips.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Scoop 1 tablespoon worth of cookie dough, and shape into 1-inch balls and place them on the baking sheet. Set aside, while you preheat the oven.
Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (read the notes)
Bake for 16-18 minutes, until set but still soft. Don't over bake.
Allow cookies to cool slight, then roll them in powdered sugar to coat. Place those on a wire rack to cool down fully before rolling in powdered sugar for the second time.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Parchment vs. silicone mat:Your cookies will spread less when baked on a silicone baking mat. If you prefer a slightly thicker, rounder snowball, use a silicone mat. For a touch more spreading and a softer texture, parchment works great.
Letting the dough rest:Allowing the shaped cookie dough balls to rest on the tray while the oven preheats helps them stay a little thicker and keeps the centers extra tender.
About the photos vs. the updated recipe:You’ll notice the cookies in the step-by-step photos look very thick. After re-testing, I updated the recipe so the baked cookies are just slightly less thick, giving them a softer bite and a richer, melt-in-your-mouth texture. These changes make the final version even better!