These classic Snowball Cookies are little balls of buttery shortbread, melt-in-your-mouth goodness with a powdered sugar coating. They are quick to fix, delicious, and freeze well.
You may even have the ingredients to make them in your house now. They are called Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding cookies, butter balls, and Mexican Wedding Cookies, but in our house, we call them Snowballs. They are the delectable cookies with a thousand names.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, eliminate the added salt. Use natural, honest-to-goodness butter so your cookies taste yummy. I use Land O Lakes butter for all my cookies.
- Powdered sugar: also known as confectioners’ sugar
- Vanilla extract: pure vanilla extract, please
- Nuts: pecans, English walnuts, black walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and cashews.
How to make Snowball Cookies
These delectable holiday cookies are so very easy to make. First, using an electric or stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the butter and the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Then, turn the mixer to low speed and add the salt, vanilla, flour, and chopped pecans. Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, roll the cookies into balls and place them on a parchment-covered baking sheet with a bit of space between them. Bake until lightly browned.
Allow the cookies to cool just enough to handle them. Then, gently roll them in the powdered sugar. Place them on a wire rack to cool. When they are thoroughly cooled, roll in the powdered sugar again.
Preparation Tips
- Chop the pecans fairly fine. Remember, you can use different nuts.
- This a thick dough, so roll the cookies with your hands because the warmth of your hands will help shape the cookies.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. This will help establish the baking time.
- Do not over-bake the cookies. These are a type of shortbread cookies with a crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- When measuring your flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a table knife to keep from adding too much flour.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Try These Recipe Variations
- Roll the dough around an unwrapped chocolate kiss
- Add 3/4 cup chopped Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips to the cookie dough.
- Add 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough
- Mix 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder at the same time as the butter and powdered sugar. Also, add 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips stirred in at the end to make Chocolate Snowball Cookies
- Replace the vanilla with lemon juice, add 1-2 tablespoons lemon zest, and use finely chopped sliced almonds instead of the pecans to make Almond Lemon Snowballs.
- Substitute almonds coarsely ground in a food processor for the pecans and add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use English walnuts, black walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and even cashews. Just make sure the nuts are shelled, roasted, and finely chopped. Each nut gives the cookie a delicious, different, unique flavor.
Freeze the dough in a practice commonly known as flash freezing. Roll the dough and place it on parchment-covered baking sheets. Ensure the dough balls aren’t touching so they don’t freeze together.
Place the whole sheet in the freezer until frozen, and then transfer the balls to a freezer bag. Store that bag in a sturdy freezer container. When you are ready to bake, simply place the cookies on a parchment-covered baking sheet and let them thaw just a tad while the oven preheats. Frozen cookies may require an additional one to two minutes of baking time.
Pack the baked cookies in double Ziploc freezer bags, place them in a sturdy, glad-ware freezer container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies in the fridge overnight. Once the cookies have thawed, reroll them in powdered sugar. Place them in airtight containers and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days.
More Cookie Recipes
Snowball Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar confectioner’s sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup pecans or walnuts finely chopped
- 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the butter and powdered sugar. Turn the mixer to low and add the salt, vanilla, flour, and pecans. Roll the dough into one-inch balls using a 1-tablespoon scoop. Place on parchment-covered baking sheets a few inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Do not over-bake
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool just enough to handle them. Pour 1 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Gently roll the cookies in the powdered sugar. Use a fork to scoop under each cookie and gently shake to remove excess powdered sugar. Place on cooling racks. Once completely cooled, roll in the powdered sugar again.
Video
Notes
- Use real honest-to-goodness butter so they taste yummy. I personally use Land O Lakes butter for all my cookies.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Chop the pecans fairly fine. Remember, you can use different nuts.
- This a thick dough, so roll the cookies with your hands because the warmth of your hands will help shape the cookies.
- Preheat the oven and load the baking sheet in the middle of the oven.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. It really helps to establish baking time.
- Do not over-bake the cookies. These are a type of shortbread cookies with a crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- When measuring your flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a table knife to keep from adding too much flour.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Ellen
I have made this exact recipe since 1961. I received the recipe from my home ec teacher and have made them for Christmas and special occasions ever since. They are tender and delicious. Pay attention to how much flour is called for and how long you bake them. Too much of either will result in a dry cookie. Hope you enjoy them as much as my family and friends have
Beth Pierce
Thanks Ellen. Yes they are a delicious cookie. I would also add to finely chop your pecans.
Anita
On the “choc. chunk pecan cookies” it had a note that you could leave 1/2 the batch without nuts if desired.
But it sad just add 1/2cup….but not of what.
Could you tell me what the add 1/2 cup is…what ingred do you add if not the nuts?
Beth Pierce
It means if you are doing half of the batch with nuts and half without you will only need 1/2 cup of nuts.
Teri
I like almond extract in them
Beth Pierce
😉
Stacie
These cookies look wonderful! I am just wondering would you use salted or unsalted butter?
Beth Pierce
Thank you! Unsalted butter please!
Kathy
They are even better if you put 1 teaspoon of vanilla
and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the heads up Kathy!
Joyce Carvalho
How long do you bake the cookies, and also at what temperature?
Beth Pierce
350 degrees for 11 minutes
Kris
Can fresh ground wheat be used?
Beth Pierce
I am sorry I am not sure. I am not used to cooking with fresh ground wheat. Maybe one of the readers can answer this!
Debra Day
Could you use gluten free flour for these cookies
Beth Pierce
I am not sure. Sorry!
Marjorie Skelton
Yes, I’ve made them gluten & dairy free. I use king Arthur cup 4 cup, or my own mix. They are delish!
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the heads up. Everyone has been wondering about a gluten free version.
Pamela Dale
These are my all time favorite cookie, I make them every christmas, my sisters and kids wait for them–impatiently. we now make them gluten free with almond flour. we make small balls and only bake 8 min, do not brown these on top, just slightly on the bottom. Air bake pans work best.
Martha
Will try
Beth Pierce
😉
Martha
A friend sent me the recipe. I think I have everything in the kitchen. May try them this morning ?
Beth Pierce
Sounds like a plan. It is stiff dough so you have to work it with the warmth of your hands to roll it into balls! They are so delicious! Happy baking!!
marjorie
I wish there were pictures with the recipes when you print them.
Beth Pierce
I am going to be updating my site in 2018 so I will certainly take that into consideration.