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These Snowball Cookies are buttery, tender, and literally melt in your mouth. And with just six ingredients, one bowl, and no chill time, they happen to be one of the easiest cookies to make.
Kristen's Keys for Snowball Cookies
For an irresistible snowball cookie that is soft, flaky and has the right amount of powdered sugar coating, keep the following tips in mind.
- Use room-temperature butter. Before preparing your cookies, be sure to remove your butter from the refrigerator several hours prior to preparing your cookie dough, to allow time for your butter to fully soften, as soft butter creams and incorporates air easier into the dough, which results in tender, fluffy cookies.
- Don't overmix the cookie dough. Incorporate the flour and nuts into the cookie dough until JUST incorporated. Overmixing the ingredients can result in a dense cookie.
- Swap the nuts or omit them altogether. Pecans are a classic addition to classic snowball cookies. However, you can substitute chopped walnuts, pistachios, or almonds in place of the pecans, or omit the nuts completely.
- Roll in powdered sugar twice. The first roll while the cookies are warm gives an initial coating; the second roll after they cool gives the signature snowy look.
How To Make Snowball Cookies
Think of this section as me helping guide you through the process with little tips along the way to make the process smooth and the results delicious.
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix the butter on high speed until creamy and light in color. Be patient, this may take a couple of minutes but you really want your butter to be light and fluffy to give the Snowball Cookies their delicate texture.
- Add sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed to start, which will prevent the powdered sugar from flying everywhere.
- Fold in flour and pecans. On low speed, slowly mix the flour into the dough. Once combined, add the pecans and fold into the cookie dough with a spatula until incorporated.
- Shape cookie dough. Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out the dough before rolling it into a ball. This will ensure each cookie is the same size and bake evenly.
- Bake cookies. Bake until the cookies are just LIGHTLY golden brown on the bottom.
- Roll the cookies twice in powdered sugar. While slightly warm, roll each cookie in a bowl of powdered sugar, to coat. Allow the cookies to cool fully and then roll them in the powdered sugar AGAIN. This second sugar-coating will give the Snowball Cookies their classic "snow" coating.
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Once cooled fully and rolled in powdered sugar, store them in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature.
- Freezing: Place the snowball cookies into a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Once defrosted, you may want to re-roll the snowball cookies in powdered sugar to give them their classic appearance.
More Classic Christmas Cookie Recipes
You will always find these snowball cookies on my holiday cookie tray, along with the following favorites.
Snowball Cookies
Made with just 6 ingredients, these Snowball Cookies are buttery, tender, and literally melt in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar, for cookie dough
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mixi the butter on high speed until creamy and light in color, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the ½ cup powdered sugar to the butter and mix on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the batter. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium, and continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon table salt. Mix on low speed to just combine.
- Add ½ of the flour to the mixture and mix on low speed to combine. Add the remaining flour and mix again on low speed just until combined.
- Add 1 cup finely chopped pecans to the batter and use a wooden spoon or spatula to just incorporate the nuts evenly into the batter.
- Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the cookie dough and shape into it a 1-inch ball. Place it onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat the process until the cookie dough is gone, being sure to space the cookies 2-inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15, or until the cookies are just golden brown on the bottom. Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 1-2 minutes.
- Place the remaining powdered sugar into a bowl and roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar.
- Cool the cookies completely and then roll them again in the remaining powdered sugar.
Equipment
Notes
Nuts: You can substitute chopped walnuts, almonds, or pistachios in place of the pecans, or omit the nuts completely.
Storing Cookies: Once fully cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Alternatively, freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Once defrosted, you may want to reroll your cookies in powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Calories: 84kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 25mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 121IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Another winner on your website. These are so good and very easy to make. Hard to eat just one! I only wanted to make half of the recipe. It is great that there is an option to make different quantities. Makes my life easier.
I am so thrilled you enjoyed the cookies and appreciate the ability to adjust quantities! I really want it to be as easy as possible.
Is one cookie really 165 calories?
That is for 2 cookies, not 1--I have updated the recipe card to reflect the accurate information for 1 cookie. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies, not 2 dozen.
These are so good, and definitely one of my favorite Christmas cookies! So easy to make and great for a tray!
One of my favorites too, Jessica! Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe for Snowball Cookies.
These just taste like Christmas to me! So buttery and delicious.
My family can't get enough of these easy snowball cookies! They're so delicious and satisfying. Thanks Kristen for this amazing recipe, I'll surely make this again.
YAY! So happy to hear you enjoyed these cookies, Sharina!