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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not sure why people are getting crumbly dough. I made it in the kitchen aid and at first it’s crumbly but after mixing for a bit it comes together. very simple and tasty recipe :)
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Summer! I’m happy to hear you loved these cookies :)
How many cookies does the snowball cookie recipe make?
Hi Justine, this recipe makes 24 cookies. Let us know how you like them!
I used chopped pecans and put them in the oven for about 6 minutes to toast. I highly recommend this step! My baking time was 12+ minutes but I think my cookies were slightly larger than suggested 1 inch. Thank you for the recipe, super easy, minimal ingredients, and absolutely delicious!
Very good recipe! Easy and fast. I added a Tbl of orange zest, gave them a very subtle citrus taste. Every recipe I’ve used from SpendwithPennies has been good. Definitely and keeper and make again recipe!
Thank you, Kathy! I am so happy to hear that.
Great recipe! This is a classic cookie I made as a kid with my mom. I think that the original recipe we made it from also said to use sifted flour. I agree with some of the other reviewers that sifting may make the batter a little less dry. I was using gluten free flour, so that may have affected the dryness as well, but I do remember that these cookies were always a little on the crumbly side when I was forming them into the balls. Whenever they got too dry, we would just add in 1-2 Tbsp. water at a time, mixed into the batter again, and then roll out into the balls. That worked fairly nicely. When I made it this time, having less patience than when I was a teen, I added about 1/3 cup water to the dough when it got crumbly, and then if the dough got too sticky, added in 1 tablespoon or so of flour, and re-mixed the dough. Also, to avoid the center not being completely cooked, it helps to keep the balls a uniform size, if you can, about the size of a walnut. They cookies are done when the bottom is golden brown and the edges and side of the cookie are golden brown, sometimes having little cracks, which doesn’t show when you roll them into the confectioners’ sugar. In my oven, that was on the longer side of 10 – 12 minutes per cookie sheet at 400 degrees. The process may take a bit of fussing, but these cookies are definitely worth it! This is the recipe my kids always ask for every holiday! These cookies have a delicate, buttery, rich, and sweetly nutty taste, just delicious! I think this version is as good as the one I used years ago! Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks for the tips, Sue! Glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Very quick and easy to make.
Alternations I’ve done with me and other people also very much enjoyed:
– sliced almonds, and then chopped them
– a little bit of almond extract and then the rest vanilla
This is a very good recipe. I made the cookies for Christmas and they were to die for!! The cookie is so buttery with the slight crunch from the nuts with just the perfect amount of sweetness.
I made these, and they are good, but they are a bit too dry. any suggestions?
Oh no Sheri! Did you measure your flour by using a spoon to fill the measuring cup (this method)?
I found these to be so very dry – to the point of not being to shape (same experience as others) after following the recipe exactly. I then added more butter – another 1/2 cup and about another 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Thereafter I was finally was able to form a crumbly ball that held through baking. The ratios are off and unfortunately there is very little flavor in the finished product. Not sure how a classic cookie could go so wrong.
This year is the first year that my spouse’s family is coming over for holidays so I’ve been trying out new things to impress and this recipe is a hit! I made two batches. The first time was as written and it’s perfect the way it is! The second time I didn’t have walnuts so I used pecans and 1\2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon maple extract… They were amazeballs. tips I noticed: SIFT YOUR FLOUR and my first batch browned way too much on the bottom so the second time I just put another cookie sheet under them. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Would be 5 stars but just too much salt in the recipe as written for me; I’d suggest 1/4 teaspoon if you use regular table salt like I did. The dough is very crumbly and I couldn’t roll it into a ball successfully, but I had an easy time with a small cookie scoop right onto the pan and the cookies were perfect when baked.
They are perfect and delicious. I made some with vanilla extract and some with almond extract. The almond extract ones are my favorite. And I use pecans.
Omg! I’ve never made these so I did 1/2 of the 1X recipe above as a test. Absolutely incredible. Opted for the dash of anise. Keep in mind not to over bake, they make look like they have more time to go but they don’t. Just take them out let them set up for a minute and you’ll see. WOW!
I love snowball cookies and make them every year. My recipe has a few alterations:
-I use finely chopped pecans or 1/2 pecans and 1/2 mini chocolate chips (the amount of nuts is whatever is listed in the recipe)
-I also use cake flour (found in a box). Cake flour makes these cookies very soft and delicate.
-I usually add extra vanilla because I’m a vanilla freak. To limit liquids you can use vanilla paste. But I’ve never had problems with just using vanilla extract (I make my own so it has the caviar (vanilla beans) and also is thicker than store bought.
-Lastly, I just use salted butter (gasp!), but I’ve never have a problem with that and if anything I still end up adding some salt.
These have been on our Christmas cookie menu for years under the name Swedish Heirloom cookies. I think they are also called Mexican Wedding cookies. I make them with chopped, lightly toasted almonds. and I bake them at 325 for about 12 minutes.
I lost my old recipe of this, the problem people are having is that on my old recipe it said sifted flour then you measure your portion for recipe. Sifted `flour makes a big difference in this recipe, your batter is not so dried out in order to form balls.
This is a great tip Candice, thank you for sharing!
Delicate and delicious! Easy recipe!
this is the worst cookie I’ve ever made. I made and cooked 2 batched. the first was terrible didn’t hold together and had no taste. so the second batch I added an egg and almond extract. they were better but still not worth the effort
Very tasty and not overly sweet. Perfect as crust for lush pies. I accidentally flattened my cookies, but they still came out delish.
Perfect, Delicious
I followed the recipe exactly, even used knife to smooth out each dry ingredient and still my dough turned out very dry. It would not form into a ball. Had to add more butter (1/4 stick more) to the dry crumbly dough before it held together. I don’t know if there was too much flour or not enough butter. Once cooked, they tasted fine.