Description
These Mint Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies are buttery, tender, and bursting with refreshing mint flavor paired with mini chocolate chips. Coated in powdered sugar, they offer a festive green hue perfect for holidays or any time you crave a delightful minty treat. Soft yet slightly crumbly, these cookies are easy to make and bring a cool chocolate-mint twist to the classic snowball cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mint extract (or peppermint extract)
- Green food coloring (gel food color works best)
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
For Coating
- Additional powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter and sifted powdered sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which ensures a tender cookie texture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Flavor: Mix in the all-purpose flour, salt, and mint extract just until combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain cookie tenderness.
- Add Color: Gradually add green gel food coloring a few drops at a time until the dough reaches your desired shade of minty green.
- Stir in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips evenly through the dough for bursts of chocolate flavor in every bite.
- Shape Dough Balls: Scoop one tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into balls. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Chill Dough: Cover the cookie sheet and refrigerate the dough balls for at least 30 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it is ready for baking once the dough is chilled.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes until the bottoms are just beginning to turn very lightly brown. Avoid overbaking to keep a soft center.
- Initial Cooling: Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Prepare Coating Surface: Line another large baking sheet with parchment paper and dust it liberally with powdered sugar to create a sweet, snowy surface for coating.
- Dust Cookies: Place the slightly cooled cookies onto the powdered sugar-dusted sheet and sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool completely to set the texture and coating.
- Powdered Sugar Coating: Fill a small bowl halfway with powdered sugar. Drop each cooled cookie into the bowl and gently toss or turn until fully coated in powdered sugar for a classic snowball finish.
- Storage: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Using gel food coloring helps achieve vibrant green color without altering dough consistency.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom but still soft inside.
- Chilling dough is essential for preventing spreading and ensuring round cookie shapes.
- For stronger mint flavor, adjust the mint extract quantity to taste.
- Cookies can be frozen both before and after baking; if frozen before baking, add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Snowball Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Mint Cookies, Powdered Sugar Cookies
