Snowball Cookies Recipe (2024)

Snowball Cookies are a delectable concoction of butter, flour, and sugar. This no-nut version of the classic snowball cookie recipe is a delicious must-make for your cookie plate.

They are a wonderful additionto a Christmas Cookietray of Chocolate Chip Cookies and Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, but don’t hesitate to serve them well into the New Year. Snowball Cookies are a welcome treat almost any time!

You’ve had these traditional holiday cookies before, I’m sure. They’re known by other names: Mexican Wedding Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Swedish Tea Cakes, Russian Teacakes. At our house we call them Snowballs. And they are a favorite, indeed.

These classic Snowball Cookies are soooooo good. I mean, butter, flour, sugar and nuts? You really can’t go wrong with that combination.Except for the nuts…

in a nut allergy home.

Years ago, I decided to omit the traditional chopped pecans from my favorite cookie recipe to make them free of nutsso that my younger daughter could enjoy them along with the rest of us. Nut-Free Cookies are fun for everyone!

If you’re avoiding nuts as well — or even if you’re not — I nominate these as a must-make on your cookie plate this holiday season.

(I promise you won’t miss the nuts, but I’ve also included plenty of mix-in options below if you want to gussy up this snowball cookies recipe.)

Why Make This

They are easy! The dough mixes up quickly with a mixer or food processor and bakes in a flash.

They are freezer-friendly. These are top of my list of Christmas Cookies to Make-Ahead and Freeze. They thaw quickly so you can keep a stash on hand and not worry about thawing them too far in advance.

They are delicious. Whether you make our standard recipe or try one of the variations, you’re sure to enjoy these buttery sweet treats.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to makeSnowball Cookies:

butter – I use real dairy butter, softened, but you can use margarine or another plant-based butter.

powdered sugar – You’ll use powdered sugar in the cookie dough as well as for rolling the baked cookies when they come out of the oven.

vanilla extract – Vanilla adds just enough flavor to these cookies. So good! Remember, making your own vanilla extract is the cheapest way to go.

flour –I like to use unbleached, all-purpose flour but you can use regular as well.

salt – Don’t omit the salt. It’s the perfect foil for the sweetness of the cookie.

Variations

There are lots of ways to level up your Snowball Cookies.

• Mix-ins – Reduce the flour to 2 cups and stir in ¼ cup finely chopped nuts, such as finely choppedpecans, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, or jimmies sprinkles.
• Extracts – I like vanilla, but you can use rum, almond, or cake batter extract.
• Coatings – Instead of rolling the baked cookie in powdered sugar, you can dip or drizzle them in chocolate. They won’t look like snowballs anymore, but they’ll be delicious.

Pro tip:I do recommend that youweigh the flourto get the proper ratio of flour to butter. If you scoop the flour, you risk having a very dry dough. It’s not the end of the world, just pack the dough with your hands to get it to stick together. Weighing your flour is simple and easy, though, so go with that!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to makeSnowball Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Combine the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor or in a mixing bowl with a mixer.

Add the flour and salt. Blend until a coarse crumby dough forms.

Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls, pressing to pack the dough together.

Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet or one lined with a silpat baking mat. Bake until set about 9 minutes. Do not brown.

Roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool and serve.

Storage: Snowball Cookies are good for up to 4 days at room temperature. Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. To serve: simply remove from packaging, thaw and serve.

TLDR? Watch the Easy Snowball Cookies web story.

FAQs

Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

Be sure to check out more reader favorite holiday cookies!

This post was originally published on December 14, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.