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Sweet, nutty and rolled in powdered sugar, Snowball Cookies are a holiday favorite! Whether you know them as Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies, these sweet bites are full of holiday nostalgia.
So tell me, have you started your holiday baking yet?
This year, I seriously contemplated ordering a tray from my favorite bakery, but by the time I remembered to actually order them, they were sold out of all the good stuff!
Basically what I’m trying to say is that I’ve made not one single cookie. No pecan brittle. No fudge. Nothing.
In fact, I just pulled out a couple of pounds of butter from my freezer, so I can start whipping up some of favorites like these snowball cookies!
Luckily it is frigid here this year, so I can make a couple of recipes for the next few days, package them up in tins and store them in the garage until Christmas.
A giant garage freezer is pretty much the best thing about Ohio winters.
MY BROTHER’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY COOKIES
This fall and holiday season has been a season of classics for me.
From Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and Rum Balls to Old Fashioned Apple Crisp, Classic Pecan Pie and Parker House Rolls, I’ve been craving recipes rooted in classic flavors and full of memories.
So it seems fitting to share one of my brother’s favorite cookies, and one of the cookies that made their way to Santa’s plate at our house year after year.
My brother may be the pickiest eater ever – the only vegetable he eats is broccoli and it must be covered in Cheez Whiz in order for him to choke it down. He’s also not fond of fruit – unless the word Roll-Up comes after it.
However, give him a plate of these Snowball Cookies and he’ll eat every last sugar-coated crumb.
Snowball Cookies are also called Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies, so you may have grown up calling them a different name.
No matter what you call them, though, they are easy to whip up and definitely make an impact on any cookie platter. What’s cuter than little snowballs in a festive miniature liners?
TIPS FOR MAKING SNOWBALL COOKIES
Snowball Cookies are easy to make, but here are a few tips I have realized are helpful over the years:
- Snowball Cookies don’t spread, so you can place them close together on the baking sheet.
- Be careful not to overbake these cookies. The color will be barely different after they’re baked than when they were raw. If they
- take on a golden color, they’re probably overbaked!
- Roll them twice in powdered sugar: once when they’re still a bit warm, and again after they’ve cooled completely for that perfect white coating.
- If you don’t like pecans, feel free to use walnuts or almonds instead.
- Snowballs freeze well! Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Snowball Cookies are my brother’s favorite holiday cookie and I can bet they’ll soon be a favorite of yours as well.
Snowball Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar sifted - for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Mix in the flour, pecans and salt. Mixing until just combined.
- Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough (mine are a bit larger, see notes below) into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. The cookies can be placed quite close together since they do not spread during the baking process.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes – taking care not to over bake. Allow cookies to cool on baking pan until you are able to comfortably hold them in your hands.
- Sift 1/3 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. While cookies are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Place cookies on cooling rack, once they have cooled completely, roll them in powdered sugar again.
Notes
- I used a medium OXO cookie scoop to form my snowballs.
- Yield will depend on the size that you roll your Snowball Cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These sound so freaking awesome.
Reading the ingredient list I’m pretty sure these are also called “Mexican wedding cookies”. Love the crumbly tender texture :)
I Can’t wait to make these!!!!!! I have a long list of cookies I want to make and this is right there on top. Thank you for such a wonderful and simple recipe!!!! Can’t wait!!!!
Can’t wait to see what else is on your cookie list of favorites!! Definitely gonna give these a go later today.
Ok…so just finished making these. Not sure if I did something wrong, but I found the cookie mix to be quite crumbly, so mixed it with my hands to get it to come together. I was careful with the balls too, as the first one fell apart, So I squished it a little more, then gently rolled it. They don’t brown per say, except on the bottom, so wasn’t sure when they were done…broke one apart and of course tasted it….LOL. What sort of texture am I looking for? Dry-ish, crumbly..? I will say, I haven’t let them completely cool, and only one layer of icing sugar is on them, but they do really taste good. Any suggestions?
Debora-
They are sort of a short bread texture. You definitely don’t want them to brown on the top -15 minutes in the preheated oven should do it. They are definitely sort of dry, crumbly just as you described – but melt in your mouth good! Sounds like you did an absolutely perfect job! Enjoy!
-Jamie
Thanks Jamie….I think I probably over baked them a little then. Gonna make them again, they will look so pretty on a dessert tray.
You are right Jamie, these are definitely a classic. They look wonderful! So simple and so pretty in their shiny little red liner.
My husband’s favorite. I will have to bake them soon for him. Thanks. Kirsten
Oh, love the first picture!
I double roll mine in powdered sugar, once while they are still pretty hot, so it makes a sticky coating, and then again when they are cooled. The funny thing is that after the second coating, you can’t sneak one without getting dusted with at least a tad of sugar~ to tell on you, lol!
I’ve never tried these, but they look great. Is the texture more crisp or chewy?
Candy-
They are definitely not chewy, more of a melt in your mouth type of texture. Hope this helps! Happy Holidays!
-Jamie
ohhhhhh, I love the melty texture. It’s incomparable.
I just made these and blogged about them as well. So funny how something so simple can make such an impact. I make mine with almonds..but I would love to try other nuts as well!
Yum! these are some of my favorite cookies to make. I love the way they melt in your mouth. Perfect timing that you posted them, I was just debating whether or not I was going to make these this year!