Snowball cookies are a wonderful classic Christmas cookie that will take you back to your childhood! These holiday cookies are sometimes called Russian teacakes or Mexican wedding cookies. No matter what you call them, they are a wonderful holiday treat!
Snowball Cookies
When I think back to my childhood Christmas memories (during the 80’s—saying that makes me feel old!), I always envision a big, ornate plate of holiday treats. That plate always included a pile of these delicious snowball Christmas cookies!
Snowballs have always been a family favorite and I’m really happy to be sharing my recipe for classic pecan snowball cookies with you just in time for the Christmas season.
You may have heard them called Russian teacakes or Mexican wedding cookies, but for my family, they were always just snowballs.
These classic snowball Christmas cookies are made up of everything delicious about any good cookie—plenty of butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.
I’m also a huge fan of the chopped pecans in this snowball Christmas cookies recipe because it gives the snowballs a little crunch to go along with that delicious, buttery flavor.
I love making these classic snowballs and putting together the kind of holiday treat cakes that I remember from my childhood.
They are also great to make and add to small, decorative holiday tins to give away to friends, family or coworkers.
How to Make Snowball Cookies
Making holiday snowball cookies is easy. To start, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar for coating
Be sure to check out my complete snowball cookies recipe below, and don’t forget to leave a comment letting me know how you make your snowballs unique!
Snowballs are truly one of my favorite Christmas cookies. They are right up there with my other favorite holiday cookie, these raspberry almond shortbread cookies.
If you’re looking for another classic Christmas cookie that would fit in nicely on that Christmas cookie platter, try my chocolate crinkle cookies recipe and my crowd-pleasing gooey butter Christmas Cookies.
If you haven’t checked that recipe out yet, what are you waiting for?
I hope you enjoy these yummy snowball cookies this holiday season and beyond! :)
Snowball Christmas Cookies
These delicious snowball cookies are a Christmas classic that you don't want to miss!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or use ungreased.
- Using an electric mixer cream together the butter and the ½ cup confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour and the salt and beat until well combined. Stir in the nuts.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls ( about 1 tablespoon) and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges just start to brown.
- While the cookies are still hot, roll them in the confectioners’ sugar. Cool and roll a second time or sift the remaining sugar over the tops using a strainer. Cool completely before storing.
20 Comments on “Snowball Christmas Cookies”
I have added crushed peppermint candy canes instead of the nuts. It adds a Christmas color and a good flavor. I found that crushing the candy canes in a food processor or blender works best. Even the powder/dust works well.
What can you use instead of nuts since I have a nut allergy
I make them minus the vanilla so the pecans don’t lose its true flavor. I have been making these cookies for many years at Christmas and everybody just loves them.
I have been making these for many years. I used unsalted butter. Mine are card Black walnut cookies. As they are made with Black Walnut.
I have known to be called Mexican Wedding cookies. I will use Vanilla, that is what my recipe calls for. We are not a fan of Almonds.
These are my granddaughter’s favorite.
While camping when she was three years old. I had tripled the recipe as we all love the taste. I laid my granddaughter Kamora down for a nap. While singing to her, I fell asleep. When I woke up. Kamora was dusted from head to toe in powder sugar!
Oh my goodness. She had ate quit a few of the cookies. She was a sight to behold. Ha, ha
I’ve made these ‘pecan butter balls’ for many years. Ovens vary. I’ve found with mine that baking these for 30 min or so at 300-325° gives the sandy, crispy throughout result we prefer. I had no luck with my Mom’s recipe at 350 -375° for 15 min which resulted in a crumbly soft ball which tasted good but fell apart while rolling in powdered sugar after baking or with the first bite. Her results were good with her oven. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Do you think I could use almonds or walnuts finely chopped instead of pecans?
Not a problem using any type of ground nut. Using Almonds I would add 1/2 tea. almond extract. Chopped hazelnuts would also be delicious.
I love the snowball cookies and in mine I add a teaspoon of almond flavor which is my favorite.
My son doesn’t like cake, but he loves these cookies. 2 batches made , cooked 1 and froze 1 batch for him to cook when he wants them.
I make these cookies every year since i started making cookies (1980’s) My family likes them .. but every year saying they can do without .. But its not Christmas till i make these ..
I think the most difficult about these, is rolling them in powdered sugar after they come out from oven… Waiting till they are cool so they do not clump .. I do not use nuts because of nut allergy.
They are lower in sugar so not a bad cookie for a diabetic…
The recipe says it makes 24 servings. How many dozen cookies?
Thank you
Depends on how you roll your balls .. small or larger
One of my favorites.. They look so yummy! Thank you Crissy… Merry Christmas!
These were the Mexican wedding cookies of my childhood. Thanks…..
I followed all the steps in this snowball cookie recipe and the middle are still not done. I didn’t notice it until all of them were rolled in powedered sugar. Any suggestions on how to fix them? Can I just put them back in the oven to cook a little longer. FYI I did cook them until they were a little brown.
i wanna make these this weekend! do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi there,
I plan on making these soon and want to pass them out from now until Christmas. Do you know for how long they will stay fresh? Can I freeze them and then let them thaw right before handing out if need be? Thanks!
I’ve always loved these cookies!! Just isn’t Christmas without them. :)
xo
Pat
My family doesn’t like nuts so I put mini choc chips in instead (1 cup). They LOVE them
Thanks for the tip…my family all swear they do not like nuts because they get stuck in their teeth, but I love these cookies! They are sooooo easy to make, you can get lots on a sheet pan at the same time! I’m going to try putting the minichips in them & see how they like them! Thanks again!