Cranberry Snowballs - Fresh cranberries rolled in powdered sugar then baked and chilled. Surprise your guests with a burst of delicious cranberry when they bite into these sweet and tangy confections!
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I love entertaining over the holidays. It gives me the chance to whip up some of my family's favorite recipes as well as test some new recipes I've been dying to try.
Today we're making Cranberry Snowballs and they ARE NOT cookies. There ARE cookies with this name as well but what we're making today is more of a sweet and tangy "appetizer."
Cranberry snowballs are essentially fresh cranberries you bake, roll in powdered sugar and chill. They are sweet on the outside with a juicy "pop" of fresh and tangy cranberry in the center!
Put out a bowl of these chilled confections over the holidays and watch your guests pop them in their mouths. These little snowballs are often the talk of the party!
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SNOWBALLS
To make these cranberry snowballs, you'll need:
- Fresh cranberries
- Egg white
- Powdered sugar
You'll want to start by rinsing your cranberries and gently patting them dry with a towel.
Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy.
Pour the egg white over the fresh cranberries and toss to coat.
Pour the powdered sugar into a gallon ziplock bag and add the cranberries.
Gently shake the bag until the cranberries are completely covered in sugar.
You need to GENTLY transfer the cranberries to a baking sheet. I use a skimmer like this one.
If any of the berries are sticking together, you can gently shake the skimmer to separate them and allow any extra powdered sugar to fall through the slots.
If you don't have a skimmer, you can try and use a slotted turner. It's just a bit more difficult to try to keep the cranberries on a turner because it's flat.
Bake the cranberries at 200º Fahrenheit for 4 minutes. Then transfer the berries to a sheet of parchment paper to cool for about an hour before you refrigerate.
Just look at how pretty these tiny confections are!
WHERE DID THE RECIPE FOR CRANBERRY SNOWBALLS ORIGINATE?
Sugared cranberries originated in Russia, and the recipe dates back to the 1800's. People would stand in long lines to purchase these little confections. They were often enjoyed along with a cup of tea and were a favorite treat among children.
IS THERE A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE EGG WHITE?
If you don't want to coat the cranberries in egg white, you can use a simple syrup mixture. Prepare this by adding ¼ cup powdered sugar into 1 cup water.
Coat the cranberries in the sugar/water mixture before adding the berries to the bag of powdered sugar.
WHAT DOES BAKING THE CRANBERRIES DO?
Baking the cranberries softens them so they're not difficult to bite into.
COULD CRANBERRY SNOWBALLS BE USED AS A GARNISH?
Yes! In addition to just placing them in a bowl for guests to enjoy, you can use them as a garnish for desserts or even as a topping for a holiday cake.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO STORE CRANBERRY SNOWBALLS?
You'll want to chill and store the cranberry snowballs in the refrigerator. They can remain fresh for about a month in the fridge.
LOOKING FOR MORE CHRISTMAS GOODIE IDEAS?
- M&M Cookie Dough Fudge
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Clusters
- Crockpot Peanut Clusters
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
- Pretzel M&M Hugs
- Classic Sugar Cookies
- Easy Two-Ingredient Fudge
- Marshmallow Brownie Bites
- Angel Cookies
- Cookies & Cream Cereal Treats
- Candy-Dipped Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
Cranberry Snowballs
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package of fresh cranberries
- 1 egg white
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200º Fahrenheit.
- Rinse the cranberries and pat dry with a towel.
- Transfer the cranberries to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy.
- Add the whisked egg white to the bowl of cranberries and mix to coat with egg white.
- Pour the powdered sugar into a gallon ziplock bag and add the cranberries.
- Gently shake the bag until the cranberries are completely covered in sugar.
- With a slotted skimmer, gently transfer cranberries to a baking sheet (Try gently shaking the skimmer to allow any extra sugar to fall through the slots before laying berries onto the baking sheet).
- Bake cranberries for 4 minutes.
- Use the skimmer to gently remove the cranberries from the baking sheet to a large sheet of parchment paper.
- Allow to cool for 1 hour.
- Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Even Coating: To ensure that the cranberries are evenly coated with powdered sugar, gently shake the ziplock bag containing the cranberries and sugar mixture. Avoid vigorous shaking, as it may cause the cranberries to break or lose their shape. Instead, gently rotate and tilt the bag to coat the cranberries from all sides. This gentle shaking technique helps create a uniform and attractive sugary coating on each cranberry.
- Drain Excess Sugar: After coating the cranberries with powdered sugar in the ziplock bag, use a slotted skimmer to transfer them to the baking sheet. Before placing the coated cranberries on the baking sheet, gently shake the skimmer to allow any excess sugar to fall through the slots. This step helps prevent clumping and ensures that the cranberries have a light and even coating of sugar, enhancing their appearance and texture.
- Cooling and Storage: Allow the baked cranberries to cool completely on a large sheet of parchment paper before transferring them to a storage container. Cooling the cranberries helps set the sugar coating and prevents them from sticking together. Once cooled, store the cranberries in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to enjoy them. Proper storage helps preserve the texture and flavor of the cranberry snowballs, ensuring they stay fresh and delicious.
sallye
did you mean 400F or 200 c? i found it wasn’t done when I tried this even twice when I used 200F so I turned it up to 350 x 6 min and it was perfect
Sara
The oven temp should be 200 Fahrenheit. If you feel like your oven isn't coming to temp, you could try 300 but I wouldn't go much higher than that.