These easy, melt-in-your-mouth Snowball Cookies are a simple and delicious one-bowl recipe! They’re perfect for Christmas parties or a great addition to a cookie tray.

Snowball Cookies

Snowballs are the best Christmas cookies with their melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture and dusting of powdered sugar (AKA confectioners sugar). Much like my Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies, it’s hard to eat just one during the holiday season! I ate my fair share last season! ?

These little bite-sized cookies go by many names, including Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cookies, Snowball Cookies, Butter Balls, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowdrops, and more. 

We’ve always called them Snowball Cookies, and they’re irresistible! Just like all of our Christmas Treats!

Snowball cookies stacked on a plate.

Why You’ll Love Them

  • They require simple ingredients you likely have on hand.
  • You can make them in one bowl.
  • They have a rich, buttery, nutty flavor that melts in your mouth. 

Ingredient Notes

This snowball cookie recipe requires simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry.

A top down view of the ingredients to make snowball cookies.
  • unsalted butter – we like to use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the final recipe. You’ll need room-temperature butter, so leave it on the counter for at least 1 hour. This way, you’ll create seamless and evenly textured dough.
  • powdered sugar – you will use ¾ cup for the dough and 1¼ cup for rolling the cookies once they’re baked.
  • pure vanilla extract – good quality vanilla will yield the best result. 
  • all-purpose flour – to ensure the right amount, you will want to spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it with a knife. 
  • finely chopped almonds – finely chopping the nuts gives the dough a nice texture but doesn’t overpower the delicate cookie. Toasting the nuts in a low-heat oven for 8-10 minutes gives them a nice, bold flavor. You can also use walnuts.

The complete ingredient list and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.

Substitutions 

You can substitute finely chopped pecans, pistachios, or walnuts for the almonds in your cookies. 

Optionally, instead of nuts, you can add festive sprinkles to the dough when making Christmas Snowball Cookies.

Step-By-Step Instructions 

  1. Chop Almonds: Place almonds in a food processor or high-powered blender and process until finely chopped. 
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down and sides with a spatula.
  3. Add Powdered Sugar to the Dough: Add ¾ cups powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until nice and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla, and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
  4. Add the Flour, Salt, and Almonds to Dough and Chill: Using a slow speed, beat in the flour and salt. It may look like it will not combine, but it will. Switch the mixer to high speed and beat the dough until it comes together. Finally, beat in the almonds. Then, cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (up to 3 days). If chilling for more than 3 hours, the dough will be stiff, so take it out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you roll it in balls.
The first 4 steps to make a snowball cookie.
  1. Preheat Oven and Prep Powdered Sugar: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Next, pour the remaining 1¼ cups powdered sugar into a small bowl. Set both items aside. 
  2. Roll and Bake: Take the dough out of the refrigerator and scoop or roll about 1 tablespoon into a ball. Place them 1½ inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Baked until golden brown on the bottom and barely brown on the top, about 15 minutes. 
  3. Cool and Cover in Powdered Sugar: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar to coat them thoroughly. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely, then roll in the powdered sugar a second time—giving them a nice sugar coating.
Image showing rolled cookies and then rolling them in powdered sugar.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

  • MIXING: When first mixed, the dough should be crumbly. Switch the mixer to high speed, and it will come together.
  • CHILL THE DOUGH: Be sure to chill the Snowball Cookie Dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls. This will help the cookies hold their shape better and prevent them from spreading too much when baking.
  • FESTIVE TOUCH: For a fun twist, consider using colored sprinkles in the dough or chopped pecans. Add the sprinkles when you add the nuts. 

Storing

Cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks. They will keep longer if stored in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Place your snowball Christmas cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag and store them in the freezer for 3 months.

PRO TIP: These Christmas cookies are great to add to a cookie tray or wrap up as gifts!

Ritika
Snowball cookies stacked in a red dish lined with parchment paper.

Recipe FAQs

Why did my snowball cookies flatten?

The most common reason snowball cookies flatten is that the dough needs to be chilled longer. Other reasons include accidentally measuring the ingredients incorrectly or the oven temperature being too low.

How do you make powdered sugar stick to cookies?

The key is two coats of powdered sugar. After the cookies come out of the oven, let them cool for about 5 minutes, and while they’re still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. This will melt into the cookies. Then, once they’ve cooled completely, roll them again in powdered sugar until they’re fully coated. 

Can cookies covered in powdered sugar be frozen?

Yes! You can freeze snowball cookies coated in powdered sugar for up to three months. Once they’ve thawed, roll them again in powdered sugar to restore that lovely outer coating.

A Italian Wedding Cookies with a bite out of it.

More Christmas Desserts

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Snowball cookies rolled in powdered sugar stacked on a white plate.
5 from 5 reviews

Snowball Cookies

Servings: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
These easy, melt-in-your-mouth Snowball Cookies are a simple and delicious one-bowl recipe! They're perfect for Christmas parties or cookie trays.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room-temperature
  • 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ⅛ teaspoon (0.1 teaspoon) salt
  • 1 cup (143 g) finely chopped almonds, toasting the nuts gives them a bolder flavor

Equipment

  • food processor (we used a mini food processor)
  • large bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • Electric Mixer
  • Spatula or cooking spoon
  • plastic wrap
  • cookie sheets

Instructions
 

  • Place almonds in a food processor or high-powered blender and process until finely chopped. 
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down and sides with a spatula.
  • Add ¾ cup powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until nice and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla and beat on medium speed until it's thoroughly combined.
  • Using a slow speed, beat in the flour and salt. It may look like it will not combine, but it will. Switch the mixer to high speed and beat the dough until it comes together. Finally, beat in the almonds.
    Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (up to 3 days). If chilling for more than 3 hours, the dough will be stiff, so take it out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you roll it in balls
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Then line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Next, pour the remaining 1¼ cup powdered sugar into a small bowl. Set both items aside. 
  • Take the dough out of the refrigerator and scoop or roll about 1 tablespoon into a ball. Place them 1½ inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Baked until golden brown on the bottom and barely brown on the top, about 15 minutes. 
  • Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar to coat them thoroughly. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely, then roll in the powdered sugar a second time—giving them a nice sugar coating.

Notes

  • Expect the dough to be crumbly when first mixing it. Switch the mixer to high speed, and it will come together.
  • Be sure to chill the Snowball Cookie Dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls. This will help the cookies hold their shape better and prevent them from spreading too much when baking.
  • Instead of nuts, consider using ½ cup of colored sprinkles in the dough for a fun twist! Add them when you would add the nuts. 
 
To toast the nuts: Place chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes at 300°F (150°C). Let them cool slightly. Then, give them a very fine chop with a sharp knife or pulse them a few times in a food processor. 
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks. They will keep longer if stored in the refrigerator.
To freeze, place your snowball Christmas cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and store them for 3 months.
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 9mg, Potassium: 39mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 158IU, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg
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