Snowball Cookies Recipe

This Snowball Cookies Recipe is the melt in your mouth Christmas classic: buttery pecan shortbread rolled in powdered sugar until the cookies look like little snowballs, crisp outside and tender inside.

For more festive cookie favourites, try our Chocolate Chip Cookies, our Christmas Sugar Cookies and our Gingerbread Cookies.

What Makes These Snowball Cookies So Good

The magic is the texture. The cookies bake into delicate, crumbly shortbread with toasted pecans in every bite, then get rolled twice in powdered sugar for a snowy coating that melts on the tongue. They are simple, old fashioned and completely addictive.

They are also the easiest cookie on the Christmas tray. The dough mixes in one bowl with no rolling or cutting, the cookies bake in fifteen minutes, and they keep beautifully for a week. Make a double batch, as they vanish fast.

The Key Ingredients

A short list of pantry staples is all this classic needs.

The Pecans

Finely chopped pecans give the cookies their nutty flavour and delicate crumb. Toast them lightly first for a deeper, warmer taste, then chop them fine so the dough holds together.

The Butter

Good quality unsalted butter is the heart of shortbread. Use it softened, not melted, so the dough creams into a light, fluffy base that bakes tender rather than greasy.

The Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar does double duty, sweetening the dough and coating the finished cookies. Roll the cookies once while warm, then again once cool, for the thickest snowy finish.

How to Make Snowball Cookies

The method is simple: mix the dough, roll into balls, bake, then roll in sugar.

• Cream the butter: beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla and salt: mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
• Mix in the flour: add the flour and pecans, and mix until a soft dough forms.
• Chill the dough: chill for 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.
• Roll and bake: roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 degrees F for 14 to 16 minutes.
• Roll in sugar: roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar, cool, then roll once more.

Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the Chill

Warm dough spreads in the oven and bakes into flat discs instead of snowballs. A 30 minute chill firms the butter, so the cookies keep their round shape.

Overbaking the Cookies

Snowball cookies should stay pale, with only the lightest golden touch on the bottom. Overbaking makes them dry and hard instead of tender and crumbly.

Rolling in Sugar Too Late

Powdered sugar sticks best to warm cookies. Roll them once while still warm, then roll again once cool, or the coating will be thin and patchy.

What to Serve with Snowball Cookies

This is a sweet, buttery cookie, and it loves simple accompaniments:

• A cup of hot cocoa, for a warm, cosy pairing
• A mug of coffee, for a classic afternoon treat
• A glass of cold milk, for the simplest, best dunk
• A Christmas cookie tray, for a snowy white centrepiece

Make It Your Own

The recipe welcomes tweaks. Swap the pecans for walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts for a different nutty flavour, or add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough for warmth. A little orange zest brightens the cookies beautifully, and a drizzle of melted chocolate over the top makes them extra special. For a festive touch, mix a few crushed candy canes into the powdered sugar coating. Pack them in a pretty tin lined with tissue paper for a lovely homemade gift, and tuck in a few extra for the cook, as quality control is an important part of the job.

Make These Snowball Cookies Today

Buttery, snowy and ready in under an hour, these are the cookies that make Christmas feel like Christmas. Cream the butter tonight and let the oven do the rest. Browse more of our Dessert recipes for more festive favourites.