Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. You catch that little scent of almonds and raspberry jam wafting from your kitchen. Its dang hard to ignore when youre waiting on cookies that melt in your mouth with a sweet surprise inside.
Pressure cooking these snowballs is kinda like catching a fast train to yum city. The aroma builds up quick, and you sense the texture getting right without waiting all day. When the pressure builds, the sealing ring does its thing, holding in flavor and steam cues thatll make the jam ooze just right.
You spot the powdered sugar dusted like fresh snow and remember how simple this treat is compared to more complicated desserts. The natural release lets the cookies finish cooking gently, keeping that broth depth of flavor youd expect from old-school baking but with a twist. Its like youre getting all the best parts without the long wait.
What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round
- Keeps moisture locked in so cookies dont dry out
- Shortens cook time, letting you snack sooner
- Pressure build creates great texture fast
- Sealing ring holds in aromas and flavor goodness
- Natural release prevents overcooking delicate goodies
- Less mess since you gotta fewer pans to clean up
- Steam cues are easy to catch for perfect timing
All the Pieces for This Meal
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour, scoop and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt to balance flavors
- ¾ cup (76g) sliced almonds, ground but not too fine
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened so it mixes easy
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar for sweetness inside dough
- ½ teaspoon almond extract for that nutty aroma you love
- 6 tablespoon (115g) seedless raspberry jam for the gooey center
- 1 ½ cups (170g) powdered sugar for that snowy outer coat
- Parchment paper to keep cookies from sticking while baking
- Your trusty pressure cooker with a good sealing ring
The Full Pressure Cooker Journey
First, you gotta preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This sets you up for success when the cookies come out of the cooker.
Next, toss the sliced almonds in your food processor and pulse till theyre finely ground but dont let it get pasty. You want that little crunch in each bite.
Now, grab a large bowl and cream together the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar till its light and fluffy. This is where you sense the dough starting to come alive.
Add the almond extract and mix it in till the aroma spreads. Then gradually fold in the flour, salt, and your ground almonds. Mix just until you get a soft dough formthats key or your cookies gonna be tough.
Heres a fun part: scoop about a tablespoon of dough, flatten it into a disc, and dollop ½ teaspoon of raspberry jam in the center. You fold the dough around it, sealing that jam tight inside so it wont leak while cooking. Place the balls on your lined baking sheets and space em about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 14-16 minutes till the bottoms get lightly golden but watch outdont overbake. Cookies wanna be tender, not crunchy. Let them cool five minutes on the baking sheet, then move them to a wire rack till theyre fully cool. Roll the cookies in that remaining 1 ½ cups powdered sugar. That snowy coat? Dang, its what makes these snowballs unforgettable!
Smart Shortcuts for Busy Days
- You can grind almonds in advance and keep them ready in an airtight container.
- Press the softened butter in the microwave for just a few seconds if youre forgot to take it out early.
- Use pre-measured powdered sugar bags so you dont gotta scoop multiple times.
- Grab seedless raspberry jam from your pantry shelf instead of homemade to save time on prep.
The Flavor Experience Waiting for You
When you bite into these snowballs, you first sense a crunchy almond exterior that quickly melts into soft, buttery dough. Its kinda like a hug wrapped sweet and nutty.
Then comes that surprise burst of raspberry jam, fruity and just a little tart, cutting through the sugary coating. Its that balance between sweet and tangy that pulls you back for more.
The powdered sugar dusting adds a touch of winter-like freshness, keeping the cookies feeling light, even though theyre totally rich. Its dang satisfying and totally worth the wait!
Making It Last All Week Long
Keep your snowball cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. Theyll stay soft and tasty for several days.
If you wanna stretch their life, pop the container in the fridge. That cool temp slows down any staling but might make them a bit firmer.
For even longer storage, you can wrap each cookie in wax paper and freeze em in a sealed bag. When youre ready to eat, just let em thaw at room temp for perfect texture and flavor again.
Your Most Asked Questions Answered
- Can I use different jam? Yeah, you totally can. Anything you love thats kinda thick and spreadable like apricot or strawberry works great.
- What if I dont have a food processor? No worries! You can chop almonds finely by hand, or buy pre-ground almonds to skip this step.
- Do I have to bake them in the oven too? The pressure cooker is awesome for many things but these snowballs still need the oven bake for the right texture and golden bottoms.
- Why is natural release important? It lets the cookies finish cooking gently so theyre tender inside without drying out.
- How do I know when the pressure cooker is ready? Watch for pressure build and listen for steam cues like a steady hiss from the valve. Thats your signal to start timing.
- Can I make the dough ahead? Totally! You can prep dough and keep it in the fridge up to two days before baking. Just bring it to room temp before shaping.
Raspberry Almond Snowball Cookies (jam stuffed snowballs)
Equipment
- 1 Parchment paper for lining baking sheets
- 1 Pressure cooker with sealing ring
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour scoop and level to measure
- ½ teaspoon salt to balance flavors
- ¾ cup sliced almonds ground but not too fine
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened so it mixes easy
- ½ cup powdered sugar for sweetness inside dough
- ½ teaspoon almond extract for that nutty aroma you love
- 6 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam for the gooey center
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar for that snowy outer coat
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pulverize the sliced almonds using a food processor until finely ground but not pasty.
- Cream together softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add almond extract, then gradually fold in flour, salt, and ground almonds to form a soft dough.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, flatten into a disc, and place ½ teaspoon raspberry jam in center.
- Fold and seal the dough into a ball around the jam. Place on lined baking sheet with 2-inch spacing.
- Repeat with remaining dough, then refrigerate all dough balls for 90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F during the last 15 minutes of chilling.
- Bake cookies 11–13 minutes until barely golden on bottoms. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies tender.
- Cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar.
- Once fully cooled, roll cookies in powdered sugar again for snowy, thick coating.
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