These Snowball Cookies are easy to make with a melt in your mouth shortbread base, chopped pecans and coated in powdered sugar. A classic Christmas cookie recipe made with just 5 ingredients in one bowl and no stand mixer required! Perfect for gift giving, holiday cookie exchanges and cookie platters! Includes a video tutorial.
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Classic Pecan Snowball Cookies
Snowballs, Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Butterball Cookies, Butterballs – this classic cookie has so many variations and names. No matter what you call them, Snowball Cookies always remind me of Christmas and are a must for any cookie platter or holiday cookie box.
These Classic Pecan Snowball Cookies start off with an easy buttery shortbread like dough. The great thing about these cookies is you can choose to add chopped pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. I usually like to chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to help them stay nice and round. Once they are baked, you roll them in some powdered sugar for the most poppable and addictive cookie.
They are perfect for any holiday cookie exchange and best of all, the recipe makes a big batch so it’s enough for everyone to share.
My family loves making different snowball cookie recipes every year once December rolls around. We already have these Peppermint Snowball Cookies, Chocolate Snowball Cookies and Keto Snowball Cookies because they are just so darn tasty AND easy.
Why we love this easy snowball cookie recipe
- Easy to make with only 5 ingredients
- A one bowl cookie recipe without needing a stand mixer
- They taste amazing and are perfect for cookie exchanges, gift gifting and cookie boxes
- Easily gluten-free, paleo, low carb and keto depending on your dietary preferences and what you have in your kitchen pantry
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – softened to room temperature – you can also use ghee or vegan butter for vegan snowball cookies
- Powdered sugar – you can also sub with powdered sugar substitute such as Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener OR powdered coconut sugar for paleo snowball cookies
- Vanilla extract
- Flour – you can use gluten-free 1-1 flour or all-purpose flour – be sure to measure correctly using the spoon & sweep method
- Finely chopped pecans – finely chopped walnuts will work too
- More powdered sugar – for rolling cookies
How to make Snowball Cookies
If it’s your first time making snowball cookies, they are one of the easiest Christmas cookies you can make! Be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions and watch the video to see how easy they are to make!
- PREHEAT OVEN: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- MIX THE DOUGH: In a stand mixer or using your hand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add flour and mix until just combined. Fold in chopped pecans. beating at low speed, scraping bowl as necessary, until well mixed.
- ROLL INTO BALLS: Roll dough into 2 tablespoon sized dough balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used up. *I recommend chilling the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge so the cookies stay round but you can choose to bake them right away if desired.
- BAKE cookies for 14 – 15 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown – rotating pans halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
- CHILL COOKIES: Remove from oven and cool on baking pan for about 2 minutes until you can handle them comfortably with your hands.
- ROLL INTO POWDERED COATING: Meanwhile, sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. While cookies are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Place cookies on a cooling rack, once they have cooled completely, roll them in powdered sugar again.
- STORE cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.
Snowball Recipe Variations
- Butter – you can sub with ghee OR vegan butter
- Pecans – to make Snowball Cookies with walnuts or Snowball Cookies with almonds, use finely chopped walnuts or finely chopped almonds
- Filling – add shredded coconut or mini chocolate chips to sweeten things up
- Powdered sugar – you can also sub with powdered sugar substitute such as Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener OR powdered coconut sugar for paleo snowballs
- Vanilla extract – sub with almond extract, orange extract or lemon extract and lemon zest for Lemon Snowball Cookies
Storage Instructions
You can store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Can Snowball Cookies be Frozen?
Yes, the great thing about making classic snowball cookies is that they store well in the freezer and will taste just as good as fresh cookies once you thaw them.
How to freeze:
You can freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls in an air-tight storage container or large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Baked snowballs also freeze perfectly. Simply place snowball cookies on large baking sheets and freeze for 20 minutes, or until hard. Transfer the frozen cookies to an resealable containers or large ziptop bags for up to 3 months.
To thaw: Remove frozen baked cookies from the freezer and allow to that at room temperature. Once thawed, you can roll the balls in more powdered sugar, if desired before serving.
More Christmas cookie recipes you will love:
Perfect Sugar Cookies for Cut Out Cookies
Snickerdoodles – Gluten-Free | Paleo | Healthy
These Snowball Cookies are easy to make with a melt in your mouth shortbread base, chopped pecans and coated in powdered sugar. A classic Christmas cookie recipe made with just 5 ingredients in one bowl and no stand mixer required! Perfect for gift giving, holiday cookie exchanges and cookie platters! Includes a video tutorial.
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature - you can also use ghee or vegan butter for vegan snowball cookies
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar , you can also sub with powdered sugar substitute such as Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener OR powdered coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour OR gluten-free 1-1 flour such as Bob's Red Mill , measured correctly - spoon & sweep method
- 3/4 - 1 cup finely chopped pecans , may also sub with finely chopped walnuts
- More powdered sugar for rolling cookies - about 1/2 cup
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or using your hand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add flour and mix until just combined. Fold in chopped pecans. beating at low speed, scraping bowl as necessary, until well mixed.
- Roll dough into 2 tablespoon sized dough balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used up. *I recommend chilling the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge so the cookies stay round but you can choose to bake them right away if desired.
- Bake cookies for 14 - 15 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown - rotating pans halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
- Remove from oven and cool on baking pan for about 2 minutes until you can handle them comfortably with your hands.
Meanwhile, sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. While cookies are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Place cookies on a cooling rack, once they have cooled completely, roll them in powdered sugar again.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.
Recipe Video
Slightly adapted from Land O Lakes
Did you try this recipe?
Marie -
I made this recipe this morning not expecting too mUch. I was so pleasantly surprised. The cookies are light and fLakey, buttery and no too sweet. FOllowed the Instructions as written and was very glad my 20 year plus workhorse KITCHEN AIDE remains in top notch condition and easily mixed the stiff batter. My husband agrees the finished product tastes just like my grandmothers , and for me brought back fond memories of many christmases past. Thank you for the memories🎄
Julianne Laurio -
I had to make the twice within 3 days!! They went that Fast. I did pecan & noW trying with walnuts. Brings back MEMORIES of my mom making them at christmas. So easy & yummy!!
Sabrina -
thank you for this recipe, these take me way back, haven’t had them (or ones like them) for years!