Swedish Snowball Cookies for #SundayFunday

Welcome to #SundayFunday! Wendy from A Day In The Life on The Farm invited fellow bloggers to kick back, relax, and share something tasty and fun each weekend. "Sunday should be a Family Funday. Please join us in sharing recipes that will help you to enjoy your Sunday." If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join - we'd love to have you!

Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm says "I love learning traditions of other countries through cooking and baking. Share a traditional Christmas cookie from somewhere around the World that is special to you and tell us why it brings you fond memories." 

I remember baking cookies with my grandma anytime we happened to be in Washington. She would host all the grandkids and we would spend hours mixing, shaping, and baking. It was a wonderful part of the Holidays. Grandma Phyllis always included the kids and really knew how to make Christmas extra special with time together. I remember making pinecones rolled in peanut butter and bird seed for the animals too - we'd hang them on the trees outside after we made cookies for everyone.

So when I was trying to think of a cookie that held memories for me, I couldn't think of a specific one - but with Swedish heritage, especially on my Grandma Phyllis' side, I did a quick search for Swedish Christmas cookies and landed on these snowball cookies and knew that was perfect.

These cookies are so incredibly tender. the addition of the almond flour adds a really wonderful texture to them. They melt in your mouth. They're not overly sweet and are the perfect tea cookie! 

I cannot believe we're getting ready for the Holidays but here we are - already 5 days into the month! Happy Holiday season!

See all of our International Cookies!

• Sneha’s Recipe presents Cashew Cherry Cookies 
• Palatable Pastime serves up Chinese Almond Cookies 
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla gives us Hojarascas (Mexican Shortbread Cookies) 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni shares Karachi Biscuits 
• A Good Life plates Mexican Tea Cookies 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm discovers South African Double Crunchers 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures has Stained Glass Ornament Cookies with Orange & Cinnamon 
• Making Miracles presents Swedish Snowball Cookies 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories gives us Zimsterne - German Christmas Cookies

Swedish Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup ground almonds

2 cups flour

1 egg

2 TBS water

1 TBS vanilla

2 tsp almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a silpat on a baking sheet.
2. Place the softened butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Start on low speed and increase to high until mixture is lightened in color and creamy.
3. Add in the salt, almond flour, and regular flour. Mix briefly, just until mixture is roughly combined.
4. Add in the egg, water, vanilla and almond extracts. 
5. Mix again until mostly combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides and give it another mix or two by hand to ensure everything is evenly combined.
6. Use a cookie scoop to help create evenly sized cookies. Gently roll each scoop to smooth out the edges and make a ball.
7. Place 12 cookies on a baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until just lightly golden brown on the bottom. 
8. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes until they are set enough to move to a cooling rack.
9. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and then roll them in the remaining powdered sugar while they are still warm.
10. Complete cooling on the rack and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Coffee With Us 3