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! Perfect for gift giving, holiday cookie exchanges and cookie platters!
Updated December 2023
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Snowball Cookies: A Delightful Winter Treat
When winter arrives, it’s time to indulge in cozy treats that bring warmth and joy. Snowball cookies, also known as Russian tea cakes, Russian Butterball Cookies, Butterballs, or Mexican wedding cookies, are the perfect addition to your seasonal baking repertoire. No matter what you call them, Snowballs are classic holiday cookies always remind us of Christmas and are a must for any holiday cookie platter or cookie box.
This snowball cookie recipe starts off with an easy buttery shortbread like dough. The versatile dough allows you to choose chopped pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. Once they are baked, simply roll the dough into some powdered sugar for the most poppable and addictive cookie.
Classic snowball cookies 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.
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
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Unsalted Butter or Ghee: The key to the rich and buttery flavor that defines snowball cookies. For a dairy-free or vegan option, consider vegan butter.
- Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and a delicate texture. Opt for a powdered sugar substitute like Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener or powdered coconut sugar for a lower sugar or refined sugar alternative.
- Vanilla Extract: Infuses a delightful vanilla aroma and flavor into the cookies, enhancing their overall appeal.
- All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour: The foundation of the cookie. Ensure accurate measuring using the spoon and sweep method. If opting for a gluten-free version, choose a high-quality 1-to-1 baking flour such as Bob’s Red Mill.
- Finely Chopped Pecans: Adds a delightful nuttiness and crunch. Walnuts can be a great alternative for those who prefer a different nut flavor.
- Powdered Sugar/Sweetener for Rolling: The finishing touch that gives these cookies their iconic “snowball” appearance.
Instructions: 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 and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Cream and Combine: In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together softened butter and sifted powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and gradually incorporate flour. Fold in the finely chopped pecans.
- Shape and Bake: Roll the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake: Consider chilling the dough for 30 minutes for rounder cookies, or bake immediately for a different texture. Bake for 14-15 minutes, avoiding over-baking.
- Coat in “Snow”: While the cookies are warm, roll them in powdered sugar, ensuring even coating.
- Cool: Allow them to cool on a rack before giving them a second coating for that perfect “snowball” look.
Tips for Success: Navigating the Winter Baking Journey
- Chill for Texture: Refrigerating the dough enhances the cookies’ texture. For a firmer bite, embrace the chill.
- Avoid Over-Baking: Keep a keen eye on your cookies, ensuring the bottoms are just slightly golden brown. Over-baking can lead to a drier result.
- High-Quality Ingredients: Choose top-notch ingredients, especially the butter and vanilla, for a flavor that stands out.
Variations and Substitutions: Infusing Creativity into Snowball Cookies
- Nutty Adventures: Explore various nuts like almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts for a unique flavor twist.
- Citrus Zest Zing: Add a burst of freshness by incorporating citrus zest into the dough.
- Chocolate Delight: Elevate the indulgence by adding cocoa powder or drizzling cooled cookies with melted chocolate like our Chocolate Snowball Cookies.
- Butter: You can opt for ghee or vegan butter if you need a paleo or dairy-free option.
- Filling: Add shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips or a peppermint filling like our Peppermint Snowball Cookies to sweeten things up.
- Powdered sugar: You can opt for a powdered sugar substitute such as Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener like our Keto Snowball Cookies or powdered coconut sugar for paleo snowballs.
- Vanilla extract: Swap out the vanilla with almond extract, orange extract or lemon extract and lemon zest for Lemon Snowball Cookies.
Serving Suggestions: Pairing Winter Charm with Classic Snowball Cookies
Hot Cocoa Companionship: Enjoy these treats with a steaming cup of hot cocoa, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Gingerbread Latte or another festive drink for the ultimate winter indulgence.
- Cookie Platter Elegance: Arrange snowball cookies or festive platters or Christmas Cookie Boxes with other holiday treats for a visually appealing spread.
Storage and Make-Ahead Suggestions: Preserving Winter Bliss
- Airtight Container: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, maintaining their freshness.
- Refrigeration: Store your pecan snowball cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Magic: Freeze these delights for up three months, allowing you to relish the taste of winter whenever the mood strikes.
- Raw cookie dough: Freeze the raw cookie dough balls in an air-tight storage container or large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Baked cookies: Simply place the baked 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.
- Make-Ahead Dough: Prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate or freeze it for impromptu baking sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1: How do I ensure my snowball cookies have the perfect texture?
Chilling the dough is the secret. Refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before baking. This step not only enhances the texture but also helps the cookies maintain their round shape during baking.
Q2: Can I freeze the snowball cookie dough for later use?
Certainly! Prepare the dough in advance, shape it into balls, and freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag. When the craving hits, bake directly from frozen, adjusting the baking time slightly.
Q3: What’s the key to avoiding over-baked cookies?
Keep a close eye on the oven. Bake the cookies until the bottoms are just slightly golden brown, approximately 14-15 minutes. Rotating the pans halfway through helps ensure even baking without risking dryness.
Q4: Can I experiment with different nuts in the recipe?
Absolutely! While pecans provide a classic nutty flavor, feel free to explore with finely chopped walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts for a unique twist. Nut variations can add exciting layers of taste to your snowball cookies.
Q5: How long do snowball cookies stay fresh?
Stored in an airtight container, these cookies maintain their freshness for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to one month.
Q6: Can I add chocolate to these snowball cookies?
Certainly! For a chocolatey upgrade, consider drizzling cooled cookies with melted chocolate or even adding chocolate chips to the dough. This variation adds a delightful layer of indulgence.
Q7: Can I make the snowball cookie dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! Prepare the dough in advance, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. This allows for convenient make-ahead baking, ensuring freshly baked cookies whenever you desire.
Q8: How can I infuse citrus flavors into my snowball cookies?
For a zesty twist, add finely grated citrus zest (lemon, orange, or lime) to the dough. The citrus aroma and flavor will complement the sweetness of the cookies beautifully.
More Christmas cookie recipes you will love:
Perfect Sugar Cookies for Cut Out Cookies
Healthy Snickerdoodles – Gluten-Free | Paleo
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! Perfect for gift giving, holiday cookie exchanges and cookie platters!
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature. You can also use ghee or vegan butter for dairy-free / vegan snowball cookies.
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar , sifted. You can also substitute with any powdered sugar substitute such as Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener OR powdered coconut sugar for a lower sugar / refined sugar option.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour OR gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour . measured correctly - spoon & sweep method
- 3/4 - 1 cup finely chopped pecans , you also use finely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup More powdered sugar / powdered sweetener for rolling cookies - about 1/2 cup
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add flour and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans, then turn the mixer to low and beat at low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until well mixed.
- Roll the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized dough balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used up. *We 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 the bottoms are just slightly golden brown - rotating the pans halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan for about 2 minutes, or until you can handle them comfortably with your hands.
- Meanwhile, sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll them into the powdered sugar, coating well on all sides. Place the cookies on a cooling rack to cool again. Once they have cooled completely, roll them into the powdered sugar again for a more pronounced "snowball" look.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.
Recipe Video
How to store:
- Airtight Container: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, maintaining their freshness.
- Refrigeration: Store your pecan snowball cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
How to freeze:
- You can store these cookies for up three months:
- Baked cookies: Place the baked 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.
- Raw cookie dough: Freeze the raw cookie dough balls in an air-tight storage container or large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- 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.
- Make-Ahead Dough: Prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate or freeze it for impromptu baking sessions.
Angela -
yum, these were amazing! my favorite holiday cookie recipe for sure
Nicole -
I just made these. I added a little extra vanilla and a teeny bit more powered sugar and they turned out delicious! I shaped them and had 2 medium cookie sheets. One I put in freezer for about 12 mins, one I put in frig for 25/30 mins. Batch from frig was slightly more tender but both came out great.
Jennifer -
We freeze the dough to use at a later date and they are always a favorite. yum
Gabrielle -
These were amazing!! I toasted my pecan before I chopped them and also added 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. So delicious!!!
Kathryn -
May I substitute vegan earth balance for butter?