Snowball Cookies

If you could make just one holiday or Christmas cookie this year, Soft Homemade Snowball Cookies is a recipe you must try.

best snowball cookies

Click here for the cookie recipe takes over Pinterest each December.

With just four ingredients, sweet holiday cookies are so easy to make that it’s almost impossible to find an excuse not to try them.

And once you whip up these irresistible homemade snowball cookies, you’ll be addicted to their soft, buttery goodness for the rest of your life.

Readers also love these sweet potato brownies

Watch the Snowball Cookies recipe video above

mexican wedding cookies

This recipe is my adaptation of a popular snowball cookie recipe that my grandmother used to make every Christmas.

You can find many versions of her like her, both online and in traditional cookbooks. It goes by many names, including Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, butterballs, polvorones, meltaways, and snowballs.

For vegan snowball cookies, simply use coconut oil or vegan butter in your recipe. You don’t need eggs or milk, so you don’t have to worry about refills.

**Edit: Thanks a lot people magazine Thank you for introducing me to this recipe!

Hot chocolate mug cake

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 homemade unrefined powdered sugar.

Other options include adding a few drops of vanilla or almond extract to the dough, molding traditional cookies into different shapes, adding a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest, or mixing in a handful of mini chocolate chips. You can try variations such as

Next on my list is adding cocoa powder for chocolate snowball cookies.

You might also add pure peppermint extract and crushed candy canes.

Alternatively, 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 let’s be honest, the classic original version is pretty good on its own. Once you’ve made your batch, please leave a review and let us know what you think!

Snowball cookies with almonds

The original holiday cookie recipe calls for walnuts, but these versatile homemade Mexican wedding cookies can also be made with almonds or pecans.

I haven’t tried other nuts, but would like to know if macadamia nuts, cashews, or pistachios would work as well.

Many people ask if it is possible to omit the nuts and make nut-free snowball cookies.

leftover almonds?Make almond flour banana bread

How to make snowball cookies

Start by collecting all the cookie ingredients.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar.

Combine the pecans, almonds, or walnuts with the flour in a separate bowl. Mix all ingredients to make cookie dough.

Form into balls, place on cookie sheet and bake on center rack of oven for 20-25 minutes or until Christmas cookies are slightly browned.

Coat warm Italian butter cookies evenly with a bowl of powdered sugar and chill on a wire rack. fun!

Storage of cookies

Because they don’t need to be refrigerated, snowball cookies are the perfect dessert for holiday parties and gatherings.

Easy to transport, leftovers can be stored in a lidded container on the counter for 3-5 days. Of course, only if you have leftovers!

The dough can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated, or rolled and frozen to bake later.

Other Holiday Cookie Recipes

vegan chocolate chip cookies

keto cookies

vegan peanut butter cookies

Healthy chocolate chip cookie

coconut flower cookie

2 cup flour (white, spelled, ww pastries, or Bob’s girlfriend pieces)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
1 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup powdered sugar or unsweetened powdered sugar
optional extra powdered sugar or cocoa powder, for rolling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine butter and powdered sugar and beat in a medium bowl or stand mixer. Stir together flour and nuts in another bowl. Then mix all the ingredients together to form the dough. Form into a ball, place on a parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Take another bowl of powdered sugar and roll warm cookies in this bowl to coat. Cool on a wire rack. Note: We do not recommend using flours not listed here, subbing a low-fat butter spread, or omitting nuts. I have never tried these alternatives. Feel free to experiment at your own risk. If you do, be sure to report it for other readers.nutrition information