In this post, I’m excited to share one of my all-time favorite Christmas cookie recipes: the snowball cookie, which goes by several names. You’ll find a printable recipe along with images that demonstrate just how easy it is to make these delightful treats.
What’s Inside a Snowball Cookie?
This delicious holiday confection is a variation of jumbles, a type of cookie popular in England during the Middle Ages. Jumbles are essentially butter cookies. Other names for this cookie include Mexican wedding cakes, Italian wedding cookies, Kourabiedes (or Greek wedding cookies), butterballs, and you might even stumble upon “snowball” in a Google search.
The snowball cookie is composed of four simple ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and ground nuts. After baking, the cookies are rolled in powdered sugar while still warm, creating a delightful coating. Around the world, variations often include hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts, likely due to the seasonal nut harvest. The Mexican wedding cookie recipe typically uses finely chopped pecans. Feel free to get creative and use whichever nuts you have on hand. We are fortunate in the USA to have a wide variety of nuts available for baking throughout the year.
How to Make the Snowball Cookie
The most important tip is to finely grind the nuts you choose to use. In today’s recipe, I’m using walnuts, as we have plenty available. I’ve also made this basic recipe with almonds and pecans, and it turned out wonderfully each time. Remember to use only fresh ingredients! Scroll down for the detailed list of ingredients and instructions. The snowball cookie truly is one of the easiest cookies to whip up during the holiday season.
I’m thrilled to be using Nielsen-Masse’s Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, which I discovered on Amazon. I absolutely love this product! I rate it 5 stars (the highest rating) for its robust and fresh flavor. It really elevated the taste of the cookies, enhancing their vanilla aroma.
Step 1- Preheat oven to 325*F
Step 2- Cream the butter and sugar in your favorite mixing bowl. I like using my KitchenAid mixer this time of year. Add the vanilla and beat well.
Step 3- Add flour and pecans (or walnuts), mixing on low speed, scraping bowl so that it gets mixed well.
Step 4- Make 1-inch dough balls that will be placed 1″ apart on a baking sheet. I like to use parchment paper on my pan.
Step 5- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
Step 6- Cool for about 5 minutes before rolling in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.
You are almost to the printable recipe option … keep on scrolling!
Christmas Snowball Cookie Recipe
Servings: 48 Cookies | Level: Easy | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (2 cups) pecans
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Real Butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
- Heat oven to 325°F.
- Process pecans in food processor until finely chopped. Transfer chopped pecans to bowl; stir in flour and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and granulated sugar in medium bowl 2 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add nut mixture. Beat just until dough is combined.
- Working with 1 tablespoon dough, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1 inch apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 16-18 minutes or until very lightly browned. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes; transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Place powdered sugar into shallow bowl; roll cooled cookies in sugar to coat. Store in airtight container. If necessary, re-roll cookies in powdered sugar before serving.
Notes:
Store in an airtight container for up to 1-2 weeks.
Snowball Cookie Printable Recipe
Trust me, you’ll be using this recipe a lot once you see how easy it is to bake up. Add this in your own scrapbook or save a PDF copy on your hard drive. I share many of my favorite Christmas Cookies and Candies on my Pinterest.
This recipe was from one of my first cookie parties. If you are new to baking during the holiday season you will love this recipe. You will end up calling this your New Year, Easter, and maybe even Summer Vacation Cookie. Any day is a holiday with these Russian Tea Cookies filled with sugar, butter, and nuts.
Download PDF to print or save here: Snowball Cookie Printable Recipe Card
Christmas Cookie Recipes
Here are a few of my favorite and most recent shares on my blog featuring cookies I have made during the holiday season. I hope you find time to click on each and take a look. Be sure to share with your friends.
Note: this recipe is an update from my 2020 post. A new printable recipe card was added with detailed instructions on easy baking. ENJOY!
Let’s Connect
Tell me about your favorite Christmas or other Holiday Cookies by commenting on this post. Have you made this cookie before? Don’t be shy and share a comment on my site or reach out on the social media links provided.
Happy Baking,
