Snowball Cookies a classic Christmas cookie with a buttery, nutty flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. These cookies use just a few simple ingredients like butter, powdered sugar, and finely chopped nuts. They bake quickly and are rolled in powdered sugar twice for the perfect snowy finish.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
So, what are snowball cookies? They are little crumbly nutty cookies that are rolled in powdered sugar and resemble snowballs. These cookies are also called Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, or butterballs.
- Texture: Since this recipe uses no eggs and powdered sugar in the dough, they have a soft, crumbly texture similar to shortbread.
- Tested to perfection: I’ve made these cookies for years, and they have the perfect balance of delicate texture and structure.
- Make ahead: These lovely little cookies can be made ahead and are even better on the second day and beyond. They freeze well.
Ingredients For Snowball Cookies
- Butter: Use softened unsalted butter. The butter should be soft but still very slightly firm, not shiny or glossy. If the butter is too soft, the cookies will spread. If you do have salted butter, it will work in this recipe but skip the salt in the dough.
- Powdered sugar: This cannot be substituted. It gives the cookies their signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Flour: Be sure to measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup to avoid packing it in.
- Nuts: Chop the nuts finely so they mix evenly but they shouldn’t be powdery.
Variations
- Nuts: My preference for snowball cookies is walnuts, but pecans or other finely chopped nuts work just as well.
- Flavoring: For an Italian-style snowball cookie, add 1 teaspoon of anise extract to the dough.
- Add-Ins: Mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or crushed peppermint candy canes add a festive twist.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Mix longer: The dough wasn’t mixed long enough and hasn’t fully come together. The dough should hold its shape when pressed together.
Measuring method: Too much flour or powdered sugar can cause the dough to fall apart. Always spoon flour and powdered sugar lightly into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Do not scoop directly from the bag or tap the cup, as this packs in extra dry ingredients.
Chopped too large: The nuts are chopped too large, which prevents the dough from holding together.
Quick Fix: If you have followed the above and cannot get the dough to hold together, you can add more butter, 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. If you add to much, the cookies will spread.
The butter is likely too soft. Butter should be softened and still very slightly firm but not glossy or greasy. If the dough feels sticky, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling.
This recipe has only been tested as written. The nuts provide structure and flavor in snowball cookies.
No. If the butter isn’t too soft, chilling is not required. If the dough feels sticky, chilling for 20 to 30 minutes helps.
Storage and Freezing
Store snowball cookies for up to four days in the pantry or up to two weeks in the fridge. These cookies freeze well when stored in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months. As they are delicate, I recommend a freezer container and not a freezer bag for storage.
More Classic Christmas Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar plus extra for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, walnuts and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until creamy. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared pan.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until bottom edges of cookies are lightly browned.
- Cool a few minutes until you’re able to handle the cookes. Roll in powdered sugar and place on a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cookies, Dessert
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Hi Holly!
My son has a tree nut allergy….so no nuts.
We wanted to use crushed peppermints. When should they be added and will the recipe need to be altered as we will not be using nuts?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how it would work. I would add them in place of the nuts.
I first used this recipe in 2022 and I love it. I’ve seen snowball cookies on line filled with preserves and rolled but I’ve never been served one. Can I do this using your recipe? Maybe put a dent in dough, preserves, then a little dough to fully cover. Roll and bake? I sure don’t want to ruin the dough by overworking. I’m just looking for a little twist. It would also be a neat little surprise people wouldn’t be expecting. I would never expect a snowball to be filled. Thanks in advance for your advice. Happy Thanksgiving!
I haven’t tried filling these but it sounds delicious! Let us know how it goes!
I’ll try it and report back. Bet a lot of people would like them (if they turn out)!
I absolutely love this recipe. It reminds me of Christmas at my Grandparents home when I was a child.
Hello Debi. So glad that you enjoyed the recipe and that it brought back some fond memories. Have a great day!
Not the best.
I made this and the dough was extremely sticky. I put it in the oven and when it came out it was less than a centimeter thin and flat. Didn’t taste too well either.
I did everything right , tried it again, same result.
Did you use margarine instead of real butter? The oils in margarine would change the chemistry of the cookie. Also, the butter could have been too soft.
@Sage: Chilling dough helps.. make dough, chill, make balls, keeps shape nicely, easier to handle.
I’ve followed this recipe for over 50 yrs Now after I mix all it won’t hold together You think Flour is maybe to old Please let me know
If the dough wasn’t mixed enough or the flour was measured by scooping the flour with a measuring cup this can cause the dough to be dry. I would suggest letting the dough come to room temperature, when chilled the butter in the dough hardens and can make it seem more crumbly. Hope that helps.
This is an amazing recipe. The cookies melt in your mouth, just like the author said. And these are so quick and easy, you can scale up with no problem! Highly recommend!!!
I love these cookies, they are my very favorite Christmas cookie. This recipe is perfect- the only thing I’d adjust is the prep time! The step of rolling them in powdered sugar after baking adds at least 10 minutes. I’d giving myself 35-45 to make a batch of these cookies. But everything else is just right, so delicious!
I followed recipe exact with using salted butter(left to get room temp over night) and omitted the salt. I baked 10 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes before the first powdering. cooled completely then did second powdering. These are so easy and so good. I always use “real” ingredients. Perfect cookies.
Make this all the time! They are so delicious. I was wondering if I could scoop them out on parchment then freeze them to make later?
Hi Diane, yes you can definitely freeze these before baking. I would freeze on a cookie sheet, then once they’re frozen you can toss them in a ziploc bag if you’d like. When you’re ready to bake, let them thaw out on the counter and bake per the recipe!
Could you tell me if I should use all purpose or self rising flour?
Thanks!
Hi Rhonda, we use all-purpose flour in this recipe :)