These snowball cookies are soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Made with just a few ingredients and rolled in powdered sugar, they are a holiday favorite!
Great-Grandma’s Buttery Snowball Cookie Recipe
This is my great-grandmother’s recipe, and to this day my family makes these snowball cookies every year for Christmas. My mom has Great-Grandma’s handwritten recipe card for these cookies, and years ago I copied it for myself. It’s the kind of old-fashioned recipe card that says things like, “1-2 cups nuts” and “chill dough until easy to handle.” I modified the recipe just a bit to give you more specific instructions, to make sure your cookies will turn out just perfect!
My family has always called these cookies butter snowballs. They go by many names, including Snowball Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs and Butter Balls. Whatever you call them, they are a classic! Their rich, buttery flavor makes it almost impossible to eat just one.
You Only Need 6 Ingredients
I love the simplicity of this recipe! These snowball cookies are one of the few cookies I make that are egg-free.
- Butter: Butter gives these cookies their signature melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is used twice in this recipe. We add it to the cookie dough to sweeten the cookies. Second, rolling the baked cookies in powdered sugar gives them their classic “snowball” look.
- Salt: To bring out all of the flavors.
- Vanilla or Almond Extract: Vanilla brings warm sweetness, or substitute almond extract for a subtle of almond flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: For an accurate measurement, be sure to lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off. Don’t scoop the flour directly with the measuring cup since that can pack in too much flour.
- Pecans: Finely chopped pecans add a delicious toasty, nutty flavor to these cookies.
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
How to Make Snowball Cookies
Make the cookie dough: Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Add the salt and vanilla (or almond) extract, and mix until incorporated. Then mix in the flour and chopped pecans or walnuts on low speed.
Chill the cookie dough: Cover the mixing bowl (or wrap the dough in plastic wrap) and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Roll and bake: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-paper lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom.
Roll them in powdered sugar twice: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar. Let them cool completely and then roll in powdered sugar a second time.
Tips for the Best Melt-in-Your-Mouth Snowball Cookies
- Use room temperature butter. Softened butter will cream together with the powdered sugar much more easily. If you need the butter to soften quickly, cutting it into smaller pieces will help it to soften faster.
- Chop the nuts finely. I like to use a food processor because it makes it quick and easy to chop the pecans finely and evenly.
- If the dough is too firm after chilling to roll into balls, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or until it softens up.
- Roll them twice in powdered sugar. The cookies will be very delicate right after baking. I let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then carefully roll them in powdered sugar. They will be lightly coated at this point. Once they’re completely cool, roll them a second time to give them more of a powdered sugar coating.
- I like to make these cookies very small. Roll the dough into 1-inch (or smaller) balls.
Recipe Variations
- Substitute 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips for the chopped nuts to make chocolate chip snowball cookies. They are a delicious nut-free alternative to the classic recipe.
- Add fresh lemon or orange zest for bright citrus flavor.
- Replace 1/2 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and add 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips to make chocolate snowball cookies.
- Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for warm spice.
More Holiday Cookies You’ll Love
Here are a few more of my family’s favorite Christmas cookie recipes:
- Cherry Cream Cheese Cookies – Here’s another of great-grandma’s recipes that I still bake every year with my kids.
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – You won’t find a better chocolate crinkle cookie recipe!
- Thumbprint Cookies – Soft, buttery cookies with a sweet jam filling.
- Sugar Cookies – They’re soft, chewy, rich and buttery, with warm vanilla flavor.
- Biscotti – With four delicious flavor options, this is the only biscotti recipe you need!
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Best Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered (confectioners') sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or almond extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans*, or walnuts
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling the cookies
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until creamy.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup powdered (confectioners') sugar
- Add the salt and vanilla (or almond) extract, and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour and chopped pecans or walnuts and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup finely chopped pecans*
- Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Let cookies cool completely and then roll in powdered sugar a second time.1 cup powdered sugar
Notes
- Chopping the Nuts: If you have a food processor, it is an easy way to finely chop the nuts.
- Rolling Dough Balls: If the dough is too firm after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until it is soft enough to roll into balls.
- Nut-Free: To make these cookies without nuts, you can omit the nuts or substitute 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips.
- Storage Instructions: Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature. You may wish to re-roll previously frozen cookies in powdered sugar before serving, once they are completely thawed.
I originally shared this recipe in November 2017. Last updated November 2025 with new photos, a step-by-step recipe video and more helpful tips.
Question can I use :
white wing Tortilla flour
Hi Saphire, I’ve never baked with tortilla flour so I’m not sure how it would work in this recipe.
Oh my gosh, these are SUCH gorgeous little cookies, Kristine! I haven’t made snowballs in forever and these honestly look picture perfect. Can’t wait to try ’em!
Hi Kristine! Do you have any substitution suggestions for the nuts? Thanks!
Hi Wendy! You can leave the nuts out or substitute them with 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. Enjoy!
My daughter is gluten free. How do you think these would do using coconut flour?
Hi Addie, coconut flour usually can’t be substituted 1:1 in baking. I’d recommend using a gluten free all purpose baking flour. Bob’s Red Mill makes one.
I make something similar using roasted chestnuts. People go absolutely crazy over them. It is my absolute go to Christmas recipe!
Does the recipe work without the nuts? My eldest is allergic to nuts so I’m hoping that it works without them.
Yes, the cookies should turn out just fine without the nuts. 🙂
Hi Kristine! When you call for 1 cup finely chopped nuts – does that mean measure 1 cup nuts and finely chop, or does it mean finely chop nuts until you have 1 cup? Thanks in advance!
Hi Molly! I cup finely chopped nuts means that you measure after chopping. So chop until you have 1 cup chopped nuts. 🙂
I’m getting ready to bake these cookies for the first time. Can I soften the butter in
the microwave or should I let it soften at room temperature, thank you, Patti.
It is best to let it soften at room temperature. If you cut the butter into smaller pieces it will soften quickly.
Why won’t my cookie dough hold together?
This dough should hold together well. Make sure that the nuts are very finely chopped. Also be sure to spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off, rather than scooping with the measuring cup. This will ensure that you use the right amount of flour.
Should this be crunchy in the center or soft?
The centers of the cookies are soft.
People also know them as “mexican wedding cookies”
Yes! These cookies go by many names. 🙂
Can i use peanuts instead?
If you like the flavor, then yes!
Do these cookies freeze well?
I have frozen them and they are fine.
Very Very Similar to the recipe for Mexican wedding cookies.
You’re right, these cookies go by many different names. 🙂
I accidentally used regular sugar in the dough instead of powdered (I rolled them in the powdered sugar though), and they still taste delicious!
This is my second time making them.
That is good to know! Thanks for taking the time to share. 🙂
Easy to make and comes out tasty and pretty.
I have tried different recipe but this one is a keeper
I used cashew nuts and just half a teaspoon of almond extract.
Absolutely delicious!! Thanks so much for the recipe!
We too have peanut and tree nut allergies at our house. I was thinking of substituting sunflower or pumpkin seeds for the nuts.
This year I made these with 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips instead of nuts and they were delicious that way.
I was wondering if I could use peppermint extract for a more wintery flavor would that work or do I need to change the amount of extract added considering how strong peppermint can be.
You could try it, but I would use a very small amount, maybe less than 1/4 teaspoon.
Always made them with regular sugar from a recipe in my local paper several years ago, everyone liked them, my Italian coworker said they were better than the Italian cookies. I am making yourstoday, already know they will be good, no nuts today. Thanks
Have you ever made with vegan butter or margarine? My hubby has dairy allergy. I know the butter is key, so understand if would taste quite as good.
Hi Jennifer, I personally haven’t tried these with vegan butter, but I have seen other recipes for vegan snowball cookies that are quite similar to this recipe, using vegan butter so I think it’s worth a try. 🙂
it sounds very good just looking at them
Made these today and’s they are delightful. Thank you