Snowball Cookies are one of those Christmas classics that many consider to be a must-bake during the holidays. Buttery and nutty with an airy, melt-in-your-mouth texture like a whipped shortbread, snowball cookies always remind me a little of cotton candy.
These Italian cookies are always popular throughout the winter. Serve them with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or homemade eggnog for a perfect pairing!
What are Snowball Cookies?
Snowball cookies are round, bite-sized butter cookies with chopped nuts. They are rolled in powdered sugar to give them a snowy whiteness.
A couple things that set this cookie recipe apart from others include the absence of egg and the use of powdered instead of granulated sugar in the dough. The result is a light, crumbly cookie that dissolves almost the second it hits your tongue.
How to Make Snowball Cookies
This is a delicious cookie that comes together with simple staple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Nothing could be easier!
- Cream butter and powdered sugar, then add in dry ingredients (per recipe below).
- Form into bite-sized balls and bake.
- Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.
- Cool completely, then roll again.
Snowball cookies are a tad messy to eat, but in the best possible way! A little dusting of powdered sugar all over everyone just adds more sweetness to the season!
Variations
Nuts: I prefer walnuts but pecans or other chopped nuts work well too.
Flavoring: For an Italian flair, consider flavoring the dough by adding a teaspoon of anise extract.
Fun Add-Ins: Try adding mini-chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or even crushed peppermint candy canes for a fun festive twist.
How Long Do Snowball Cookies Last?
Snowball cookies last for at least four days in the pantry, stored in the paper bag, and up to two weeks in the fridge, tightly covered or in a zippered bag.
Freezer
They will even keep in the freezer for up to six months. These are the ideal make-ahead cookie! To freeze, store in containers because they will remain fragile when frozen. This is a cookie that you won’t want to crumble before serving!
More Christmas Favorites
- Perfect Gingerbread Cookies – with the perfect touch of ginger!
- Favorite Toffee Recipe – great for gifts
- Snickerdoodle Cookies – ready in under 30 minutes
- Best Sugar Cookie Recipe – perfect for decorating!
- Homemade Eggnog Cookies – soft & chewy
- Hershey Kiss Cookies – double chocolate
Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ cup walnuts finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup powdered sugar plus extra for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, walnuts and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar with a mixer until creamy.
- Turn the mixer to low and add flour mixture until combined.
- Form dough into 1" balls and place on prepared pan.
- Bake 8-10 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
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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OMG these are so good! Melt in your mouth perfection.
Melt in your mouth cookies. Fantastic recipe. Thank you!
Simple ingredients and perfect ratios make a delicious melt in your mouth cookie! I made them flat by accident haha. Still came out perfect. this would make a good crust for lush pies as well Thanks Holly!
I have made these exactly following the recipe. Perfect! Can I replace to butter with margarine? Or maybe half butter half margarine?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Stella, but I think that should work just fine. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
My mother used to make your Snowball cookies but she called them Mexican Wedding Rings. I just loved them
my cookies baked flat! I’m wondering if the flour was measured by a dip/sweep method, I weighed the flour at 120g/cup
I’m sorry Nita that your cookies turned out flat! We have not had this issue so I am not sure what went wrong.
I just found out I’m gluten intolerant and I love the snowball cookies do you have a recipe that is gluten free
Sorry, Pamela. We don’t have a gluten-free version of this recipe but if you try it with a gluten-free flour we would love to hear how it turns out!
Can I use regular salted butter and cut out 1/2 the salt?
We have only made this recipe as listed but that should work, Phyllis.
A wonderful, easy recipe! I’ve just made them for the second time. I made mine with black walnuts. I pulsed some of them in my spice grinder and added the nut powder so the flavor would be through out the cookies. Then added finely chopped nuts. I added a bit more sugar to the batter to offset the bitterness of the walnuts. Got it where it tasted sweet enough. Followed all other directions as written. This one is a definite keeper. My husband, who is a chocolate fiend, loves them. He couldn’t even wait until they cooled completely. As least I was able to get the powered sugar on them first!!
Thank you so much for this recipe for Snowballs My mother made them each year for Christmas . She has gone to heaven before me on July 4 2004. E
Her birthday is January 3, i will make her Snowballs for my Angel Mother Thank you for the recipe I am so grateful and glad you had that on this phone I appreciate you and God Bless you and your family in 2022 you are Great
So sorry to hear that, Cynthia. But I am glad we are able to help you remember a little piece of her ❤️ We hope you enjoy these cookies! Wishing you all the best in 2022.
I ended up rolling out the dough and cutting discs with the small plastic part of my blender lid. Lol. I wasn’t having luck with the snowball form, but I am sure it’s just because I was making them too big and my dough chilled overnight, so I am not blaming the recipe. It was as if they were still raw inside and fell apart. The discs came out perfect actually. I cooked them for around 10 minutes. I will definitely make these again and cut them into discs again as well.
For your suggestion if we wanted to give more of an Italian flair, would you add the anise extract in addition to vanilla extract? And at what step is the anise extract added?
I haven’t tried these with anise but it does sound delicious. Let us know how it goes!
1/2 vanilla and 1/2 anise ;)
Looks great, but can I omit the nuts? Several guests we have coming for the holidays have nut allergies. Thanks!
Hey Chris, that should work out fine.
I am used to a recipe that is 2.5 cups flour and a full cup chopped nuts. All other ingredients the same. With this recipe, do the cookies fall a little more flat? I know back in the late 80’s, Crisco advertised to use their butter flavor Crisco sticks instead of butter. The cookies did fall a little more flat and did not taste as good as the ones made with butter. I am getting ready to try your recipe. It is the only one I saw with a 5 star rating.
Hi Teresa, we make this recipe with butter and find it holds its shape well. We don’t notice them falling flat but would love to hear how they turn out for you.
Mine turned out okay but super dry and crumbly? I followed the recipe exact.
That sounds like possibly too much flour. Check out our flour measuring guide to help ensure you are not adding too much flour into the mixture. Hope that helps Desiree.
sift your flour ;)
Just did a dry run for Christmas Eve halving the recipe. Definitely making full recipe! They came out DELICIOUS. I used walnuts with a few crushed pecans. Yummy! Great recipe thanks!
Temp is way to high .. way tp brown on bottom….. maybe 350 or 375 max
Try using parchment paper and make sure they are on the top rack ;)
can I use margarine instead of butter? My sister hates butter!
I haven’t tried this with margarine. If it’s the squares (and not a spreadable tub) it should work. Let us know how it goes!
Made them today with the margarine and they turned out just fine. I do love butter and could tell the difference but toasting my pecans and adding extra vanilla made them tasty. I also added green and red sparkle sugar to the powdered sugar I dusted them with a double dusting and they look very festive. I have never baked snowballs on such a high heat but it got me out of the kitchen quicker and I like that!
These look amazing! What size cookie scoop do you recommend – 1T or 1.5T? Also wanted to confirm that the butter should be softened?
Yes, the butter should be softened we used a 1 tablespoon scoop for this recipe!
Why did you change this recipe? I have it from a few years ago and it’s different
Hi Joy, we updated this recipe for better flavor and consistency. We hope you enjoy this version just as much!
These came out PERFECT! Only thing I changed was used walnuts instead of pecans because I didn’t have pecans. So pretty! Happily brought some to a real good friend when I went to visit. This recipe is a keeper!
I’m baking for my youthgroup tonight would these be a good treat?
I think these cookies are delicious! I am sure they will love them, Lydia!