WINTER PICNIC WITH CHOCOLATE SNOWBALL COOKIES
Recently, my new friend, Isabella, and I made double chocolate snowball cookies, which are inspired by Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes. We liked these easy-to-make cookies so much that we made them twice. Once for a holiday party and once for the picnic you see in this post. These yummy cookies are filled with chocolate chips and cocoa powder, and dusted with powdered sugar on top, giving them a “snowball” effect. Keep reading to find the recipe, created by the blogger of Crazy For Crust, and you’ll find the how-to video as well…make sure to check that out!
Ceramic Cup by Sharon Ho, Photo by Gray G.
We decided to enjoy our cookies at this beautiful beach in Eastsound, Washington, and we helped Isabella explore her interest in photography by letting her take most of the pictures for our post. All the creative ceramics are by our friend, Sharon Ho of Optimism and Co. and Felt + Ceramics, and the tea towel with the buck graphic is one of our favorites by Andrew Youngren of The Print Shop.
Tea Towel by Andrew Youngren at The Print Shop
I really love how Sharon Ho’s ceramics are intentionally imperfect and handmade. Make sure to notice the details!
Platter and Organic-Shaped Tea Cups by Sharon Ho, Photo by Isabella D.
Handmade Spoon by Sharon Ho, Photo by Isabella D.
We brought this felted wool vase made by Christa Smith of the Felt + Ceramics studio in Eastsound. We filled it with some flowering weeds we found to make us a sweet setting on the wood picnic tables at the waterfront park.
Isabella Caught Me Admiring the Beauty of This Special Place and Took this Picture.
Isabella Walking Through the Mounds of Driftwood Left From the Last Storm. Photo by Gray G.
One Last Look Through the Driftwood. Photo by Gray G.
Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Rating: 5
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 to 3 dozen
Serving Size: 2-bite size
Ingredients/Materials
3/4 cup Mini Chocolate chips (chop up regular ones if you don't have mini)
1 cup Butter, unsalted
1/4 cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
Additional powdered sugar, for rolling (about 1 - 1 1/2 cups)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Add flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
If dough is too soft, chill it until you can work it easily with your hands.
Scoop 1 tablespoon balls of dough and place on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown and the tops are no longer glossy.
Remove from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes, until you can handle them.
Fill a small bowl with 1 cup powdered sugar and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated.
Place on a rack to cool. (Once cookies are cooled, you may want to re-roll them in more powdered sugar.)
Notes
You can use either regular unsweetened cocoa powder (any brand—we used Trader Joe's) or CrazyForCrust blogger suggests Hershey's Special Dark Unsweetened Cocoa.
Don't over soften the butter or it's difficult to shape into balls.
Special thanks to Crazy For Crust for this recipe