Description
These No-Bake Cherry Almond Snowball Cookies are irresistibly creamy, sweet, and bursting with festive cherry and almond flavor! Made with finely crushed vanilla wafers, ground almonds, mini white chocolate chips, rich sweetened condensed milk, and fragrant vanilla and almond extracts, these delightful homemade cookie balls feature a soft, tender center with a deliciously sweet surprise. Each little snowball hides a juicy maraschino cherry inside and is rolled in colorful red and white holiday sprinkles for a beautiful Christmas-inspired finish. Best of all, these easy no-bake cookies require no oven and are perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday dessert platters, homemade edible gifts, festive parties, or making sweet treats with the family. Serve them chilled for a wonderfully rich, creamy, and fruity bite!
Ingredients
Scale
- For the No-Bake Cherry Almond Cookie Matrix:
- 2 cups (200 g) finely crushed Nilla vanilla wafers
- 1 cup (100 g) finely ground almonds or almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups (250 g) mini white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 can (14 oz / 396 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 24 whole maraschino cherries, drained and thoroughly dried with paper towels
- For the Festive Coating:
- 1/2 cup (100 g) red and white holiday sprinkles or extra crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
Instructions
- Drain and Thoroughly Dry the Maraschino Cherries: Place the 24 whole maraschino cherries in a colander and allow the excess syrup to drain completely. Transfer the cherries to a double layer of paper towels and gently pat each one until its surface is thoroughly dry. Removing the sticky cherry syrup is essential to prevent excess moisture from softening the cookie dough and staining the festive coating.
- Combine the Vanilla Wafer Crumbs and Ground Almonds: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups (200 g) of finely crushed Nilla vanilla wafers and 1 cup (100 g) of finely ground almonds or almond flour. Whisk or stir thoroughly until the dry ingredients are evenly distributed and form a uniform crumb mixture. Make sure the vanilla wafer crumbs are finely crushed to help the cookie balls hold together smoothly.
- Fold in the Mini White Chocolate Chips: Add 1 1/2 cups (250 g) of mini white chocolate chips to the vanilla wafer and almond crumb mixture. Using a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the chips into the dry ingredients until evenly distributed throughout. The mini chocolate chips add delicious creamy sweetness without creating large pieces that interfere with shaping the cookies.
- Incorporate Butter, Condensed Milk, and Extracts: Pour 1/4 cup (57 g) of melted unsalted butter into the prepared crumb mixture. Add the entire 14 oz (396 g) can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon of pure almond extract. Stir thoroughly with a sturdy spoon or rubber spatula until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and a thick, moist, uniform cookie dough forms. The mixture should be cohesive enough to hold its shape once chilled.
- Chill the No-Bake Cookie Dough: Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cherry almond cookie dough for at least 1 hour, or until it becomes sufficiently firm to scoop and roll into smooth balls without sticking excessively to your hands. This important chilling period allows the melted butter to solidify and the vanilla wafer crumbs to absorb moisture from the sweetened condensed milk, creating a more stable dough.
- Stuff and Shape the Cherry Almond Snowball Cookies: Remove the chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, portion the dough into approximately 24 equal pieces, using about 25 g of dough per ball. Gently flatten one portion between your palms and place a thoroughly dried whole maraschino cherry in the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the cherry, pinching the edges together until the fruit is completely enclosed. Roll gently between clean palms to form a smooth, round cookie ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and cherries until all 24 snowballs are shaped.
- Coat the Cookie Balls with Festive Sprinkles: Pour 1/2 cup (100 g) of red and white holiday sprinkles or extra finely crushed vanilla wafer crumbs into a shallow dish. Roll each shaped cherry almond cookie ball through the coating, turning gently until the entire surface is evenly covered. Press lightly if necessary to help the sprinkles adhere without flattening the snowball shape. The finished cookies should have a colorful, festive appearance with the cherry completely hidden inside.
- Chill Until Set and Serve: Line a tray or baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the coated cherry almond snowball cookies in a single layer, leaving a little space between each ball. Refrigerate for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cookies feel firm and the coating is securely attached. Keep the finished snowballs chilled until ready to serve. Enjoy their wonderfully creamy vanilla-almond centers, sweet white chocolate chips, colorful holiday coating, and delicious whole maraschino cherry surprise!
Notes
- Pat the Maraschino Cherries Completely Dry: Thoroughly drain and dry each maraschino cherry with paper towels before enclosing it in the cookie dough. Excess cherry syrup can soften the vanilla wafer mixture, cause the cookie balls to lose their shape, and create red streaks that bleed through the festive sprinkles.
- Use Mini White Chocolate Chips: Choose mini white chocolate chips rather than regular-sized chips whenever possible. Their smaller size allows them to distribute evenly throughout the dough without disrupting the smooth, round shape of the snowballs or making it difficult to seal the dough around each cherry.
- Keep the Finished Cookies Chilled: Because these no-bake cherry almond snowballs rely on melted butter and sweetened condensed milk for their structure, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Keeping them chilled helps maintain their firm, creamy texture and prevents the festive coating from becoming overly soft.
- Chill the Dough Before Shaping: Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough for the full 1 hour before rolling. Proper chilling firms the butter and allows the crumbs to hydrate, making it easier to enclose the cherries without the dough sticking excessively to your hands.
- Use Crushed Vanilla Wafers as an Alternative Coating: For a more subtle finish, replace the red and white holiday sprinkles with extra finely crushed vanilla wafer crumbs. This creates a delicate, lightly golden coating that complements the creamy almond flavor and sweet cherry filling.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 snowball cookie
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 15mg