This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Snowball cookies are the classic cookie recipe you can make in one bowl, freeze for weeks, and roll in as much powdered sugar as your heart desires. They’re buttery, soft, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth, and downright irresistable.
In this guide I’m going to teach you everything you need to know, from the classic snowball cookie recipe to tips and tricks for how to make them, variations, and my full Bake now, Freeze for Later Plan.
Table of Contents
What Are Snowball Cookies?
Snowball cookies are a tender, buttery shortbread-style cookie that’s rolled in powdered sugar. They’re known for their signature round shape and “snowy” finish. You might also know them as Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Pecan Balls or Butter Balls, or Viennese Crescents (a shaped variation).
At their core they’re a super simple cookie made with butter, powdered sugar, flour, and chopped nuts. But the magic is in the texture: soft, sandy, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth. They’re also (almost) bite size and perfect for any cookie platter.
Why my readers love them:
- They’re EASY
- They make a bit batch.
- They freeze beautifully.
- It’s so easy to vary the recipe slightly to get new fun flavors!
Main Ingredients for Snowballs
- Butter: It’s best to use unsalted softened butter. You can use salted butter but you’ll need to reduce added salt.
- Powdered Sugar is the sweetness in the cookie and adds a tender texture. You’ll also need it for rolling after baking.
- All-Purpose Flour gives the structure. You want to make sure to measure your flour correctly (do not pack it – spoon and level it into your measuring cup, or better yet, use a kitchen scale).
- Vanilla Extract for the classic cookie, but see variations below for more ideas.
- Traditionally, chopped walnuts or pecans are the classic nut used.
How to Make Snowball Cookies Tips
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth, then mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Add flour – it will look crumbly for awhile. Just keep mixing – this is easiest with a stand mixer. It will take longer with a hand mixer.
- Once the dough comes together, add the nuts or other mix-ins.
- Bake at 375°F on cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Snowball cookies are done when the bottoms are light golden.
- Once you can handle them, roll in powdered sugar.
Dorothy’s Expert Tips
- Scoop small balls (using a 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon cookie scoop) so they’re perfectly one or two bites.
- If the dough seems crumbly, keep mixing. Shortbread dough comes together slowly. If you’re using an older hand mixer and upping the speed doesn’t work, get your hands in there.
- Don’t overbake! The bottoms should barely color.
- I like a double roll in powdered sugar for the perfect snowy finish.
Classic Snowball Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup (57 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups (279 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup finely chopped nuts
- Powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together. Stir in the nuts. If dough is too soft, chill it until you can work it easily with your hands.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon balls of dough and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown. Remove from oven and cool for just a minute, until you can handle them. Fill a small bowl with powdered sugar and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated.
- You can freeze these cookies or make them up to 4 days ahead of serving.
Recipe Nutrition
Snowball Cookie Variations
Turn the classic recipe into a whole holiday board with so many different flavors!
SAVE THIS RECIPE
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Nut Variations
- Pecan Snowballs (my Mom’s Russian Tea Cookies)
- Use chopped almonds or toasted walnuts or even peanuts or hazelnuts.
- Cranberry Pistachio Snowballs are perfect for Christmas.
Flavored Variations
- Chocolate Chip Snowballs use mini chocolate chips in place of nuts.
- Sprinkles and cake batter extract for birthday snowballs.
- Chocolate Snowballs – with chocolate chips or nuts.
- Chocolate Mint with Andes mints or Peppermint Snowballs with chopped candy canes.
- Lemon Snowballs with zest in the dough.
- Strawberry Snowball Cookies using extract.
- Christmas Snowballs using colorful M&Ms.
- Add toffee bits for Toffee Snowballs.
- Change up the extract, or make Pumpkin Spice Snowballs or Gingerbread Snowballs.
Stuffed and Dipped
- Make Stuffed Snowball Cookies with 2-tablespoon of dough. Stuff them with peanut butter cups or Rolos (or any candy).
- Instead of coating them with powdered sugar, dip them in chocolate to make Snowball Truffles.
How to Freeze Snowball Cookies
If there were ever a cookie made for freezer-friendly holiday baking, this is it. If you’re stocking your freezer for cookie swaps, gifting, or December chaos then these are perfect.
- Freeze perfectly before baking: Roll dough into balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen by adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze baked cookies: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 3 months. They might need a powdered sugar refresh after thawing.
Troubleshooting Snowball Cookies
My dough is crumbly!
Shortbread style doughs always look crumbly at first. Keep mixing until it comes together. Know that a stand mixer will help this happen faster than a hand mixer. Sometimes with hand mixers, especially older ones, you might need to use your hands to get the dough fully together.
They spread into blobs.
Causes of this could be that your butter is too soft or your oven is too hot. These shouldn’t spread at all. Make sure you soften your butter properly.
My cookies taste dry.
They’re likely over baked. They should look pale and just set and light golden on the bottoms.
The powdered sugar melts off.
Let them cool until you can handle them and this shouldn’t be an issue. If it still happens you can do a second roll in powdered sugar.
FAQs
Yes! Same family of cookies – different names depending on the region.
Yes! Replace the nuts with an equal amount of mini chocolate chips.
A 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour works well in this recipe.
At room temperature they’ll last 10-14 days. Frozen they’ll last up to 3 months.
Final Thoughts
Snowball cookies are the easiest, most reliable holiday cookie you can bake. They’re buttery, tender, freezer-friendly, and endlessly customizable. Whether you stick with pecan or go wild with peppermint or stuffing or spices, these cookies belong in every holiday kitchen.
Want to learn how to freeze these perfectly? Get my full freezer cheat sheet here.
