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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I used this recipe with the substitution of ground-up pistachios to make a pistachio cookie with a smidge of buttercream frosting. What a hit! They really do melt in your mouth with a sweet salty nutty flavor
That sounds delicious, Shaleen! Glad you enjoyed them :)
Should the butter be room temperature or out of the fridge or melted?
The butter should be room temperature for creaming. Enjoy Adara!
My 7.5 year old daughter made these cookies for us. They were fabulous and truly melt in your mouth! Sooo good! I’d have to say these are the best snowball cookies I’ve ever had and I saved the recipe for future use!
Do you think this recipe would halve well?
Yes, that should work just fine! Let us know how it works out for you!
We have always doubled the recipe in my family because these cookies are delectable! They go quickly at home and neighbors and colleagues request them year after year!
Thanks so much for posting this! We made them every year when I was a kid. We passed the tradition on to our kids, but couldn’t find the recipe this year. This one saved the day!
I have my dough made and refrigerated over night it seems really dry and crumbly. Have cooked yet any ideas.
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.
First time trying this recipe. It looks good.
These are Mexican wedding cookies…why change the name????
These cookies go by several different names including Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs, or even just Wedding Cookies. Enjoy the recipe!
I’m 63 and polish and since I was a little girl they were called snowballs
There are many cultures that make this cookie under a different name. Whatever you want to call them is fine. I just call them delicious.
what would recommend instead of nuts?
My son has allergies but I promised him we’d make snowball cookies.
I have only tried this as written so I can’t say for sure.
I think you could finely chop some candied cherries (not maraschinos) or use dried cherries or craisins for a Christmassy touch. I have had better luck with candied cherries by rinsing them in a sieve, then drying them thoroughly before using them, so it doesn’t make the dough too moist. These cookies are also very nice plain.
Hey Monique, I’m thinking any dried fruit like craisins if your son likes that. If not, I think I’d experiment with chocolate or toffee chips, but you may have to use very little and those miniature chocolate chips for these. OR maybe just make them according to the recipe and omit the nuts. I’m sure they are delicious either way. At least that’s what I’d try.
Hey! My son also has nut allergies and every year I make a batch for him just by simply leaving the nuts out and he loves them! I hope this helps!
Not sure what happened but mine came out flat. I tried to salvage them by dropping in the powdered sugar, but they were too crumbly. Did I over process the butter?
These taste wonderful but some of my cookies either flattened or crumbled after baking. Any idea what I did wrong?
Oh no Carrie, I can’t say for sure why this happened. If the cookies flatten my thought would be either too much butter or not enough flour yet if they crumbled I would think the opposite. The texture should be somewhat crumbly like a shortbread cookie. Was your dough thoroughly mixed? Was your butter room temperature/softened?
You should say in the recipe that the butter should be softened.
Thanks Heidi, I’ve added this in.
Why parchment paper? Wouldn’t a regular air bake cookie sheet work, sprayed with cooking spray? Thanks you Holly!
I do think a regular cookie sheet would work just fine. Enjoy!
Your recipe doesn’t state what extract or how much. My Aunt used almond extract but I do not know how much to add
Almond extract can be quite powerful so you will only need to add a little bit, I would suggest about ⅛ tsp. It can be added to the butter.
If you freeze these, how do you defrost them? Thanks!
These can be thawed on the countertop at room temperature.
Question I am making in big batches to serve later , should I still toss them
In icing sugar and freeze and then toss again after thawed to serve or would u wait on putting sugar on them until I’m ready to serve them
I toss these before freezing. You can certainly toss them in a little more powdered sugar once thawed if you’d like.
I haven’t made these in years and lost the recipe in my recent move so glad to find this! How long will these keep in an air tight container? I need to plan when to make them for Christmas! Thanks so much!
They will last up to two weeks in an air tight container that is refrigerated.
Hey Holly! I would love to make these Snowball Cookies to go with lots of goodies for my husband to give to his employees for Christmas, but I don’t see any indication of whether it’s all purpose or self rising flour. Please help and thank you in advance.
This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
This look awesome-) I think I will starf wth the oatmeal cookies Thanks
I hope you enjoy them!
Thay are GREAT recipes
The “Snowball Cookies” are actually Mexican Wedding Cookies.
They sure are! They go by Snowball Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes.