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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Lemon Coconut Snowball Cookies

    Published: Nov 30, 2017 · Modified: Aug 9, 2021 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 643 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article.

    Jump to Recipe
    Lemon Coconut Snowball Cookies by The Toasty Kitchen
    Lemon Coconut Snowball Cookies by The Toasty Kitchen
    Lemon Coconut Snowball Cookies by The Toasty Kitchen

    Lemon coconut snowball cookies are tender, buttery shortbread cookies that are filled with chewy coconut and lemon zest. Perfect for your next holiday cookie tray, or enjoyed year round.

    A white bowl filled with snowball cookies.

    Make a batch of snowball cookies for your next Christmas cookie tray - they're easy to make and a crowd favorite!

    Tender and buttery shortbread cookies are filled with fresh lemon zest, filled with chewy shredded coconut, and tossed in confectioner's sugar. Perfect for any winter holiday and a must for your holiday cookie tray.

    With a rustic look and a short list of ingredients, these cookies are surprisingly easy to toss together for even a beginner baker.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Cookie ingredients on a counter top.

    Since baking is an exact science, I do not have many substitutions to offer. Each ingredient has a purpose and I do not suggest omitting any ingredients.

    Unsalted butter and salt can be substituted with salted butter.

    If you do not have a lemon on hand but do have lemon extract:

    • 1 tablespoon of lemon zest = 1 and ½ teaspoons of lemon extract
    • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice = ¼ teaspoon of lemon extract
    Rolling dough into balls and baking on a baking sheet.

    Snowball cookie tips

    Properly measuring flour is an issue I see frequently in cookie baking, especially with shortbread cookies. If your cookies regularly turn out too thick and tall, or your dough looks crumbly, you're probably measuring too much flour into your dough.

    To properly measure flour, use a spoon to fill your measuring cup, then level off with a knife. By scooping flour directly from a container with your measuring cup, you're compacting the dough into the cup. This can add up to 25% more flour to your dough.

    For best results, weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale.

    Shortbread cookies are buttery, dense, and tender, making them very delicate when they're fresh off the baking sheet. Allow your cookies to cool completely before handling them for best results.

    Your cookies will not spread much while baking - this is normal and expected. Shortbread cookies contain no leavening agents, so they will not rise or expand like a chocolate chip cookie.

    To make your cookies all the same size, I recommend a small cookie scoop - the 2 teaspoon size. I've linked my favorite cookie scoops in the recipe card below.

    Snowball cookie halves showing tender and flaky insides.
    A white bowl filled with snowball cookies.
    Print Recipe
    4.75 from 4 reviews

    Lemon Coconut Snowball Cookies

    Lemon coconut snowball cookies are tender, buttery shortbread cookies that are filled with chewy coconut and lemon zest. Perfect for your next holiday cookie tray, or enjoyed year round.
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time10 minutes
    Total Time25 minutes
    Servings: 40 cookies
    Calories: 94kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    Lemon Cookies

    • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • ¾ cup (84 g) confectioner's sugar
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup (85 g) shredded unsweetened coconut
    • ½ cup (56 g) confectioner's sugar, for rolling

    Instructions

    • In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add lemon zest, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and stir to combine. 
    • Add flour and salt to butter mixture and mix until combined. Last, stir in shredded coconut.
    • Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
    • Remove dough from refrigerator. Form dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart onto lined baking sheet.
    • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to lightly brown. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
    • Once cookies have cooled (or are barely warm), gently roll in confectioner's sugar to coat.

    Equipment Recommendations

    • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Nicewell Digital Kitchen Scale
    • Dry Measuring Cups
    • OXO Cookie Scoops

    Notes

    • Cookies will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container at room temperature. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
    • Cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. 
    • Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 0g | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American

    More holiday cookie recipes

    • Heidesand - German Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies
    • Christmas Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
    • Zimtsterne - German Cinnamon Star Cookies
    • Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
    • Dutch Cocoa Cookies

    More Cookie Recipes

    • Heart shaped strawberry shortbread cookies on a countertop.
      Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
    • 10 tips for baking cookies.
      10 Tips for Baking Cookies
    • A stack of soft sugar cookies, one with a bite missing.
      Soft Sugar Cookies
    • Heart shaped chocolate chip cookies on a red plate.
      Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies

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    1. Ashley

      December 08, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      I’ve never used confectioners sugar when mixing up my batter. The cookies are good but too sweet. I wonder what would happen if I used regular sugar instead?

      Reply
      • Heather

        December 08, 2021 at 6:39 pm

        I haven't tested this recipe with granulated sugar, so I can't say for sure how sweet they'd turn out. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!

        Reply

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    Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

    Hi, I'm Heather of The Toasty Kitchen. I love cooking with real, unfussy ingredients, and I want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

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