Cinnamon Balls

These Passover treats really throw me back to my child, when every year I'd be responsible for making them amongst the other goodies that we'll enjoy throughout the 8 day holiday. As an adult, I can safely say that they're just as delicious as they've always been, no wonder they're so popular!

Flourless, dairy-free, quick and easy to make. You can't go wrong with these classics!

Either continue scrolling for the step by step recipe or watch my full YouTube tutorial here!

My cinnamon balls appear to be really hard after baking, what am I doing wrong?
Usually directly after baking, the cinnamon balls do appear quite firm however the inside should still be soft and chewy. They also get softer over time but if they are very hard it may be becuase you baked them for a bit too long or your oven was too hot.
All the icing sugar melted when I dusted them
Icing sugar tends to melt if the cookies are still warm, so best to wait until they're fully cooled down before dusting
Can I use an electric or stand mixer to whisk the egg whites?
Yes you can, just watch the egg whites carefully to avoid over mixing them otherwise they will start to separate and will be harder to mix in with the other ingredients
Can I use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the cinnamon balls?
You can, however I find that the dough is very sticky and using a scoop might become a bit difficult, but do whatever you feel comfortable with!

My cinnamon balls appear to be really hard after baking, what am I doing wrong?
Usually directly after baking, the cinnamon balls do appear quite firm however the inside should still be soft and chewy. They also get softer over time but if they are very hard it may be becuase you baked them for a bit too long or your oven was too hot.
All the icing sugar melted when I dusted them
Icing sugar tends to melt if the cookies are still warm, so best to wait until they're fully cooled down before dusting
Can I use an electric or stand mixer to whisk the egg whites?
Yes you can, just watch the egg whites carefully to avoid over mixing them otherwise they will start to separate and will be harder to mix in with the other ingredients
Can I use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the cinnamon balls?
You can, however I find that the dough is very sticky and using a scoop might become a bit difficult, but do whatever you feel comfortable with!

There isn't a rule about how big these cinnamon balls should be. If you want to make them larger, they will need about 5 minutes extra baking time
If you're feeling adventurous you can add 50g of chocolate chips to the mix and have hidden pops of chocolate in every bite

There isn't a rule about how big these cinnamon balls should be. If you want to make them larger, they will need about 5 minutes extra baking time
If you're feeling adventurous you can add 50g of chocolate chips to the mix and have hidden pops of chocolate in every bite

There isn't a rule about how big these cinnamon balls should be. If you want to make them larger, they will need about 5 minutes extra baking time
If you're feeling adventurous you can add 50g of chocolate chips to the mix and have hidden pops of chocolate in every bite

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F with fan or 180°C/355°F no fan
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk to a medium peak, when the meringue just starts to hold
Pour in the sugar, ground almonds, cinnamon and vanilla and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients into the egg whites
Continue mixing until fully incorporated
Prepare a baking tray with baking paper and fill a bowl with water
Use the water to wet your hands and take roughly a tablespoon amount of dough
Roll the dough into a ball and place it on the baking tray
Repeat until all the dough is rolled into balls
Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown
Remove from the oven and leave to cool
Finish off with a dusting of icing sugar
Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F with fan or 180°C/355°F no fan
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk to a medium peak, when the meringue just starts to hold
Pour in the sugar, ground almonds, cinnamon and vanilla and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients into the egg whites
Continue mixing until fully incorporated
Prepare a baking tray with baking paper and fill a bowl with water
Use the water to wet your hands and take roughly a tablespoon amount of dough
Roll the dough into a ball and place it on the baking tray
Repeat until all the dough is rolled into balls
Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown
Remove from the oven and leave to cool
Finish off with a dusting of icing sugar
Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks

My cinnamon balls appear to be really hard after baking, what am I doing wrong?
Usually directly after baking, the cinnamon balls do appear quite firm however the inside should still be soft and chewy. They also get softer over time but if they are very hard it may be becuase you baked them for a bit too long or your oven was too hot.
All the icing sugar melted when I dusted them
Icing sugar tends to melt if the cookies are still warm, so best to wait until they're fully cooled down before dusting
Can I use an electric or stand mixer to whisk the egg whites?
Yes you can, just watch the egg whites carefully to avoid over mixing them otherwise they will start to separate and will be harder to mix in with the other ingredients
Can I use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the cinnamon balls?
You can, however I find that the dough is very sticky and using a scoop might become a bit difficult, but do whatever you feel comfortable with!