Few cookies look more at home on a Christmas cookie tray than snowball cookies. Round, buttery, and completely covered in powdered sugar, they really do look like miniature snowballs tucked among the gingerbread, chocolate cookies, and other holiday treats.
Beneath that snowy coating is a tender shortbread-style cookie filled with vanilla and finely chopped pecans or walnuts. There are no eggs and no leavening agents in the dough, so the cookies stay dense enough to hold their round shape while still developing that delicate, crumbly texture that seems to melt away when you take a bite.
They are also wonderfully uncomplicated. The dough comes together quickly, the cookies require no elaborate decorating, and a generous bowl of powdered sugar takes care of the festive finishing touch.
❄️ What Are Snowball Cookies?
Snowball cookies are small, round butter cookies made with flour, powdered sugar, vanilla, and finely chopped nuts. After baking, they are rolled generously in additional powdered sugar.
They are known by several names, including Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, wedding cookies, and butterballs. Recipes vary slightly depending on family and tradition, but the basic idea remains remarkably consistent: a tender nut-filled butter cookie hidden beneath a thick white coating of confectioners’ sugar.
The lack of eggs gives the cookies their distinctive crumbly texture, while plenty of butter prevents them from becoming dry.
Their resemblance to little snowballs has made them particularly popular during the Christmas season, although there is certainly no reason to limit them to December.
🛒 Ingredients
Makes about 36 cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar for coating
That short ingredient list is part of the appeal. Because there are so few ingredients, good butter and real vanilla make a noticeable difference in the finished cookies.
🧈 Start with Properly Softened Butter
Your butter should be soft enough that a finger leaves an indentation when gently pressed into it, but it should not look shiny, greasy, or partially melted.
Butter that is too warm can cause the cookies to spread rather than holding their neat round shape.
If you forget to take the butter out of the refrigerator ahead of time, cut it into small cubes and leave it at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Avoid melting it in the microwave.
Snowball cookies depend on the structure of softened butter, so melted butter changes the texture of the dough significantly.
🥣 Cream the Butter and Powdered Sugar
Place the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat them together with an electric mixer for about 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy and well combined.
You don’t need to whip the mixture for an extremely long time as you might for a fluffy layer cake. These cookies should remain relatively dense and tender.
Add the vanilla and salt and mix again until incorporated.
The mixture should look pale, smooth, and creamy.
🌾 Add the Flour Gradually
Add the flour in two or three additions, mixing on low speed after each one.
As you reach the final portion of flour, the dough may initially look dry and crumbly.
Keep mixing gently.
The butter will eventually bring everything together into a soft dough.
Avoid adding milk or water simply because the mixture looks crumbly at first. Extra liquid can change the texture and encourage spreading.
Once the flour has disappeared, stop mixing.
Overworking flour develops gluten and can make delicate cookies firmer than intended.
🌰 Add the Nuts
Fold the finely chopped pecans or walnuts into the dough.
The word finely matters here.
Large nut pieces can make the cookies difficult to shape and more likely to crack apart. Aim for pieces roughly the size of coarse crumbs rather than large chunks.
A food processor makes quick work of this, but pulse carefully. You want chopped nuts, not nut butter.
Pecans give snowball cookies a particularly buttery, slightly sweet flavor, while walnuts have a deeper and somewhat earthier character.
Both are delicious.
🌰 Pecans or Walnuts?
This is largely a matter of preference and family tradition.
Pecans produce a slightly sweeter, richer cookie and are especially popular in many American versions.
Walnuts have a stronger nut flavor and work beautifully with vanilla and powdered sugar.
You can also use almonds, although they create a somewhat different flavor and texture.
Whichever nut you choose, toasting it briefly before adding it to the dough can deepen the flavor considerably.
Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them at 325°F for about 5 to 8 minutes, just until fragrant. Let them cool completely before mixing them into the dough.
🧊 Does Snowball Cookie Dough Need to Be Chilled?
Not always.
If your butter was properly softened and your kitchen is fairly cool, the dough should be firm enough to roll immediately.
However, if the dough feels very soft or sticky, refrigerate it for about 20 to 30 minutes before shaping.
This is particularly helpful in a warm kitchen.
Don’t chill the dough until it becomes rock hard. You only need it firm enough to roll into clean balls without sticking heavily to your hands.
🔥 Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
A relatively moderate oven temperature helps the cookies bake through while staying pale on top. Snowball cookies should not become deeply browned like chocolate chip cookies.
A little golden color on the bottom is perfectly fine, but the tops should remain quite light.
⚪ Shape the Cookies
Scoop portions of dough about 1 tablespoon each.
Roll each portion gently between your palms into a smooth 1-inch ball.
Place the cookies approximately 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
They do not spread very much, so there is no need to leave enormous gaps between them.
Try to keep the cookies fairly uniform in size so they finish baking at the same time.
A small cookie scoop is especially handy for this.
🍪 Bake Until Just Set
Bake the cookies for approximately 15 to 18 minutes.
They should feel set and dry on top, while the bottoms are just beginning to turn pale golden.
Do not wait for the tops to become brown.
Because snowball cookies contain so much butter and relatively little sugar in the dough, overbaking them can quickly turn a delicate cookie into a dry one.
Begin checking at about 15 minutes.
❄️ The First Powdered Sugar Coating
While the cookies bake, place about 1 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
Allow the baked cookies to rest on the baking sheet for approximately 5 minutes.
You want them warm but not so fragile and hot that they fall apart when handled.
Gently place several warm cookies at a time into the powdered sugar and roll them until coated.
Transfer them to a wire rack.
The warmth of the cookie causes the first layer of powdered sugar to adhere and partially melt into the surface, forming a base for the final coating.
☃️ Coat Them Again After Cooling
Allow the cookies to cool completely.
Then roll them in powdered sugar a second time.
This second coating is what produces the thick, bright-white snowball appearance.
If you coat them only once while warm, much of the sugar may dissolve into the butter on the surface and leave the cookies looking patchy.
Two coats give you that beautiful snowy finish while also adding just enough sweetness to balance the relatively restrained cookie dough underneath.
✨ Why Use Powdered Sugar in the Dough?
Snowball cookies use powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar because it contributes to their very tender texture.
Powdered sugar dissolves readily into softened butter and contains a small amount of starch, helping create a delicate, shortbread-like crumb.
The dough itself is not intensely sweet.
Most of the sweetness comes from the powdered-sugar coating, which is why the cookies remain balanced even after being rolled generously twice.
😕 Why Are My Snowball Cookies Spreading?
The most common cause is butter that was too warm.
If the dough feels soft enough that the balls begin flattening before they even reach the oven, refrigerate the shaped cookies for about 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
An oven that has not fully preheated can also contribute to spreading.
The cookies need heat quickly enough for their structure to begin setting before all the butter melts.
Measuring the flour accurately matters too. Too little flour can leave the dough unable to hold its shape.
🏜️ Why Are My Snowball Cookies Dry?
Too much flour or too much baking time are the most likely causes.
When measuring flour by volume, spoon it lightly into the measuring cup and level off the top rather than scooping directly from the flour container. Scooping can compact extra flour into the cup.
Better still, use a kitchen scale if you have one.
Snowball cookies should also be removed from the oven while their tops are still pale.
Waiting until they look obviously browned will usually mean they have baked too long.
💔 Why Are My Snowball Cookies Falling Apart?
A little crumbliness is normal. That tender texture is part of what makes these cookies special.
However, the cookies should still hold together when picked up.
If they are completely disintegrating, the dough may have had too much flour or the nuts may have been chopped too coarsely.
Be gentle during the first sugar coating as well. Warm cookies are much more fragile than cooled ones.
Give them about five minutes on the baking sheet before attempting to roll them.
🌰 Can You Make Snowball Cookies Without Nuts?
Yes.
Although nuts are traditional in many snowball-cookie recipes, you can make a nut-free version.
Replace the nuts with approximately another 1/2 cup flour, adding it gradually until the dough is firm enough to shape.
The finished cookies will be closer to small vanilla shortbread balls but will still be delicious beneath the powdered sugar.
If avoiding nuts because of an allergy, make sure all other ingredients and equipment are appropriate for your needs as well.
🍫 Chocolate Snowball Cookies
For a chocolate version, replace about 1/4 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Chocolate snowballs look particularly dramatic because the dark cookie shows through whenever the powdered sugar cracks.
Mini chocolate chips can also be added to the dough, although I would keep the amount modest so the cookies retain their delicate texture.
A combination of cocoa and finely chopped pecans is especially good.
🍋 Lemon Snowball Cookies
For a brighter version, add finely grated lemon zest to the butter and sugar.
About 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest gives the dough a noticeable citrus flavor without adding extra moisture.
You can replace part of the vanilla with lemon extract if you want an even stronger flavor.
The tart citrus notes provide a nice contrast to the sweet powdered-sugar exterior and make these feel appropriate beyond the Christmas season.
🍊 Orange and Cranberry Snowballs
Orange zest and finely chopped dried cranberries make a particularly festive variation.
Add the zest of one orange and about 1/3 cup very finely chopped dried cranberries to the dough.
Make sure the cranberry pieces are small enough that they don’t interfere with shaping.
The red flecks inside the cookies look especially pretty when they are broken open against the snowy coating.
🍫 Chocolate-Dipped Snowball Cookies
For an extra-decadent holiday version, let the cookies cool completely but skip the second powdered-sugar coating temporarily.
Dip one side of each cookie into melted dark or semisweet chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to set, then dust the exposed portion lightly with additional powdered sugar.
The finished cookies aren’t quite as traditional, but chocolate and buttery pecans are an excellent combination.
🎄 Why Snowball Cookies Are Perfect for Christmas
Snowball cookies have several advantages when you’re assembling a Christmas cookie tray.
They look festive without requiring icing or complicated decorations.
They can be made ahead.
Their pale, snowy appearance provides contrast alongside darker gingerbread, molasses cookies, chocolate cookies, and colorful decorated sugar cookies.
They are also sturdy enough for cookie exchanges and gift boxes once completely cooled.
Just expect a little powdered sugar to travel with them.
🎁 Snowball Cookies for Gift Boxes
Let the cookies cool completely after their second coating.
Arrange them in a cookie tin or sturdy box with parchment or wax paper between the layers.
Try not to pack them too tightly because their crumbly texture makes them more delicate than some other Christmas cookies.
If some of the powdered sugar rubs off during storage, simply dust the cookies with a little fresh sugar before serving or gifting them.
A combination of snowball cookies, gingerbread, meringues, and chocolate cookies makes a particularly pretty holiday assortment.
☕ What to Serve with Snowball Cookies
These cookies are wonderful with coffee, black tea, chai, or hot chocolate.
Their buttery, crumbly texture is especially good with a warm drink because each bite practically dissolves.
For a Christmas dessert table, arrange them on a platter with gingerbread, shortbread, fudge, peppermint treats, and other small sweets.
They’re rich enough that one or two cookies make a satisfying little dessert, although stopping at one can be difficult.
📦 How to Store Snowball Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool completely before placing them in an airtight container.
Store them at room temperature for several days.
King Arthur recommends storing snowball cookies airtight at room temperature and freezing them for longer storage.
Place parchment or wax paper between layers if necessary.
The powdered-sugar coating may absorb a little moisture during storage, so you can give the cookies one final light dusting before serving.
❄️ Can You Freeze Snowball Cookies?
Yes.
Snowball cookies freeze very well, which makes them especially convenient for holiday baking.
Freeze fully cooled cookies in an airtight container with parchment between the layers.
For the freshest snowy appearance, you can give them their first sugar coating before freezing and add the final coating after they thaw.
Allow them to thaw at room temperature, then roll or dust them with fresh powdered sugar before serving.
You can also freeze the shaped unbaked dough balls and bake them later, adding a small amount of additional baking time as needed.
🎅 A Christmas Cookie Worth Keeping
Snowball cookies prove that holiday baking doesn’t have to be complicated to feel special.
Butter, flour, vanilla, nuts, and powdered sugar transform into tender little cookies with a texture somewhere between shortbread and a delicate nut pastry.
The double coating of powdered sugar gives them their festive appearance, while the vanilla and toasted nuts make them taste far more interesting than their simple ingredient list might suggest.
They are easy enough for an afternoon of casual baking but pretty enough for a Christmas party or homemade gift box.
And if your shirt ends up covered in powdered sugar after eating one, that is simply part of the snowball-cookie experience.
❄️ Classic Vanilla Snowball Cookies Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Optional Chill Time: 20–30 minutes
Bake Time: 15–18 minutes
Yield: About 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy.
- Beat in the vanilla and salt.
- Gradually add the flour, mixing on low speed just until a dough forms.
- Fold in the finely chopped pecans or walnuts.
- If the dough feels excessively soft, refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and roll it gently into 1-inch balls.
- Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cookies are set and the bottoms are just lightly golden. Keep the tops pale.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
- While still warm, gently roll each cookie in powdered sugar.
- Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
- Roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar a second time for a thick, snowy coating.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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