If you make just one holiday or Christmas cookie this year, these soft homemade snowball cookies are absolutely the recipe to try!
The best snowball cookies
This is the cookie recipe that takes over Pinterest every December.
With just FOUR ingredients, the sweet holiday cookies are so easy to make that it’s almost impossible to find an excuse not to try them.
And once you do whip up these charming homemade snowball cookies, they will hook you for life with their soft and buttery deliciousness.
Readers also love these Sweet Potato Brownies
Mexican wedding cookies
This recipe is my own spin on the popular snowball cookie recipe my grandmother used to make every year for Christmas.
You can find many versions similar to hers, both online and in traditional cookbooks. They go by many different names, including Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Butterballs, Polvorones, Meltaways, and Snowballs.
For vegan snowball cookies, simply use either coconut oil or vegan butter in the recipe. There are no eggs or milk required, so no need to worry about replacing those.
**Edit: A huge thank you to People Magazine for featuring my recipe!
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Step by step recipe video
Watch the snowball cookie recipe video above
Snowball cookie ingredients
The recipe calls for flour, nuts, oil or butter, and powdered sugar.
If you want a healthier version, pulse coconut sugar, date sugar, or evaporated cane juice in a blender to make your own homemade unrefined powdered sugar.
Other variations you might want to try include adding a few drops of vanilla or almond extract to the dough, forming the traditional cookies into different shapes, adding a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest, or stirring in a handful of mini chocolate chips.
Next on my list is to add cocoa powder for Chocolate Snowball Cookies.
I might even include some pure peppermint extract and crushed candy canes too.
Or you can make pink snowball cookies by adding a drop or two of red food coloring or a handful of freeze dried strawberry or raspberry powder.
But honestly, the classic original version is so good on its own. If you make a batch, leave a review and let me know what you think!
Baking tips and substitutions
Flour options that work well include regular white all purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or whole grain spelt flour.
If you wish to make gluten free snowball cookies, I’ve had success using Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour.
A good cookie baking tip in general is to let the cookies cool before handling. They continue to cook and firm up as they are cooling.
Start with softened or melted butter or oil. If using coconut oil, make sure all other ingredients are at room temperature. This step will ensure the oil does not harden during the mixing process.
Snowball cookies with almonds
While the original holiday cookie recipe calls for walnuts, these versatile homemade Mexican wedding cookies can also be made with almonds or pecans.
I’ve never tried another nut but would be interested to know if they might also work with macadamia nuts, cashews, or even pistachios.
For snowball cookies without nuts, simply omit the chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans. No further changes are required, and the resulting nut free cookie is a delicious soft butter cookie.
Leftover almonds? Make Almond Flour Banana Bread
How to make snowball cookies
The first step is to gather all of your cookie ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar.
Combine the pecans, almonds, or walnuts and flour in a separate bowl. Mix all of the ingredients together to form a cookie dough.
Shape into balls, place on a cookie sheet, and bake on the oven’s center rack for twenty to twenty five minutes or until the Christmas cookies are lightly browned.
Roll the warm Italian butter cookies in a bowl of powdered sugar to evenly coat, then cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
Storing the cookies
Because they do not need refrigeration, snowball cookies are a great dessert choice for any holiday party or gathering.
They are easy to transport, and leftovers can be stored in a covered container on the counter for three to five days. Of course, that’s only if there are any leftovers!
The dough can be made days in advance and refrigerated, or rolled into balls and frozen to bake at a later time. And the cookie dough is naturally egg free.
More holiday cookie recipes
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (white, spelt, ww pastry, or Bob's gf work)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds or pecans
- 1 cup butter or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar or sugar free powdered sugar
- optional additional powdered sugar or cocoa powder, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the butter with the powdered sugar, and beat in a medium bowl or stand mixer. Stir together the flour and nuts in a separate bowl. Then mix all ingredients together to form a dough. Shape into balls, place on a cookie sheet, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned. Ready an extra bowl of powdered sugar, and roll the warm cookies in this bowl to coat. Cool on a wire rack.*You may omit the nuts if desired. I cannot recommend using any flours not listed here or substituting a low fat butter spread, because I have not tried these substitutions. Feel free to experiment at your own risk, and be sure to report back for other readers if you do!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
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These look so tasty. I just want to plop each one in my mouth!
I am not big on hard and fast resolutions, but I’d like to work on being in the moment and not getting sidetracked so easily when I am working at home.
Hi Katie! Can’t wait to make these, they look amazing! Im 13 years old and today I finally started my healthy food blog! I know you have to start small, but do you have any tips for me about blogging? I am obsessed with Chocolate Covered Katie and you have inspired me to create my blog! Thank you so much! -Isabel 🙂
I love the short ingredient list. These look delish. Happy New Year Katie!
I guess my resolution though is to be slightly less orthorexic but also to convince the members of this household that just because i buy exotic foods (such as lentils or beans) that are good for health doesn’t mean i’m overly health concious.
I’m kind of sick of them thinking that I’m orthorexic because I don’t eat chips, breakfast cereal, instant oatmeal, or refined grains, and I use stevia instead of sugar.
These look just like the regular unhealthy ones, I’ve never had them but seen them plenty of times on Pinterest and other baking blogs. I’m going to have to put these on my to bake list. Happy New Year!
These look perfect for winter AND New Years!!! My resolution for 2013 would have to be to eat and make more good food 🙂
These look delicious. I’m definitely getting powdered sugar tomorrow so I can try them.
I posted about my only resolution here http://www.threeunderthree.co.uk/2013/01/new-years-resolutions.html
Happy New Year to you and your family Katie!
Oh gosh…resolution…well, the worst habit of mine is my sweets craving…I admit I go through at least a dropper bottle of stevia per month…and in a weak moment I may use a Splenda even though it’s horrible for us! So, I’m trying to focus more on savory than sweet to try to break the habit. Any advice on sweet cravings, Katie? 🙂 Happy New Year! I really enjoy your blog.
I guess my only advice would be to try and “eat mindfully,” really concentrating on the deliciousness of what you’re eating, and savoring your favorite foods slowly. Sorry I can’t be more helpful. 😕
Oh good! I was starting to think I was the only one who enjoyed peppermint bark and Christmas cookies after Christmas 🙂