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.
Snowballs are the best Christmas cookies with their melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture and dusting of powdered sugar (AKA confectioners sugar). Much like Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies, it's hard to eat just one during the holiday season!
These little bite-sized cookies have 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!
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Why You'll Love Them
These buttery cookies are a must-make!
- 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.
- 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 over power the delicate cookie. Toasting the nuts in a low-heat oven for 8-10 minutes will import a bolder flavor.
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
STEP 1 - Chop Almonds
Place almonds in a food processor or high-powered blender and process until finely chopped.
STEP 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.
STEP 3 - Add Powdered Sugar to the Dough
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.
STEP 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.
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.
STEP 5 - Preheat Oven and Prep Powdered Sugar
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.
STEP 6 - 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.
STEP 7 - 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.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- 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.
- Consider using colored sprinkles in the dough or chopped pecans for a fun twist! Add the sprinkles when you add the nuts.
Storing
Store cookies 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 freezer 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!
Erin
Recipe FAQs
The most common reason snowball cookies flatten is that the dough needs to be chilled longer. The other reasons are you may have accidentally measured the ingredients incorrectly, or the oven temperature was too low.
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.
Yes! You can freeze snowball cookies coated in powdered sugar for up to three months. Roll them again in powdered sugar to restore that lovely outer coating once they've thawed.
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Printable Recipe
Snowball Cookies
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
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room-temperature)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (divided)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely chopped almonds (toasting the nuts gives them a bolder flavor)
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.
Paula K says
I made these last night with the kids and they really were easy to make! I need to make more because they almost ate them all 🙂
Erin Henry says
A very easy and yummy cookie recipe, Paula. Glad the kids enjoyed them.
Olivia says
These cookies are a must-make for the holidays. Always so delicious and perfectly sweet!
Erin Henry says
A holiday baking staple in our house for sure! Glad you enjoyed them!
Valentina says
This recipe for snowball cookies is absolutely mouth-watering. I'm so glad I gave the cookies a try.
Erin Henry says
I'm so glad you did, Valentina! This is such a wonderful holiday cookie recipe.