Easy to make Snowball Cookies that will melt in your mouth. These classic Christmas Cookies are made with pecans and then rolled in powdered sugar for a light, tender cookie everyone is going to love!
Snowball Cookies Recipe
Ok, I’m not here to proclaim that Snowball Cookies are my favorite Christmas cookie (it’s so hard to pick just 1!) but these are high up there on my cookie list.
These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are not only delicious, but they’re so easy to make! To show you how easy they are to make, I made a quick recipe video that you walks you through the steps! My 3 year old daughter helped me make these cookies!
What Are Russian Tea Cakes?
What do you call these cookies? I’ve heard a variety of different terms for classic Snowball cookies. Some call them Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cakes, and I’ve even heard some call them butter balls.
Russian Tea Cakes (or snowball cookies) are commonly baked around the holiday season. They are a form of Jumble which was a popular cookie pastry made in the Middle Ages. Jumbles were popular during that time because they traveled and kept so well, thanks to their hard nature being made with nuts or seeds.
Although in the Middle Ages they were known to keep these cookies around for a year without becoming stale, I dare you to keep them around for a week without eating them all up!
Ingredients
You only need 6 basic ingredients for this recipe. You probably already have everything in your kitchen!
- Butter (softened)
- Confectioners’ Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Finely Chopped Pecans
Other nuts can be used in this recipe (like walnuts), but I prefer using pecans for these cookies. You want to make sure they are finely chopped, so they don’t overwhelm the cookies. Simply take a handful and throw them in your food processor. A few pulses later you’ll have the exact consistency that you want.
How Do You Make Snowball Cookies?
Start this snowball cookie recipe by creaming together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract, together in a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture and stir well to fully incorporate the ingredients. Add the finely chopped pecans and stir so they are equally distributed. I do this with a spoon.
Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll cookie dough into balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet or silicone baking mats. When rolling the cookies, keep the balls on the smaller side, about 1 inch. This will help them hold their shape when they are baking.
Bake for around 10 minutes or until cookies are light brown on the bottom.
Remove from oven. While cookies are still warm roll each cookie in powdered sugar.
I hope you enjoy these Snowball Cookies as much as my family loves them!
Why are my snowball cookies falling apart?
Your cookies are probably falling apart because you didn’t chill the dough long enough. The cookie dough needs to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. I always like to chill for a little longer.
Why do you want to chill the dough? These cookies have flour in them, so chilling the dough permits the gluten strands in the flour to cause a rubbery texture in the final cookie. Also, having the dough chilled makes it much easier to roll up all the dough into balls when it’s time to bake them.
They also might be falling apart because they are too dry. Try adding a tablespoon of two of milk to the batter and mix with your hands.
How do you store snowball cookies?
These cookies keep well, stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. The cookie dough can be made in advance and frozen for up to one month.
Other Favorite Holiday Cookies To Try:
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms
Christmas Cookies you can bake with kids
Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Chow Mein Cookies
Easy Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Pretzel Cookies
Gingerbread Men (and Women) Cookies
Nutella Butter Cookies
Pin for later:
Snowball Cookies
PrintIngredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup confectioners powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- additional powdered sugar to roll cookies in
Instructions
- Cream together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla together in large bowl.
- In another bowl mix together flour and salt.
- Add flour mixture into butter bowl and mix until crumbly and well combined.
- Add chopped pecans and stir with a spoon so they are equally distributed.
- Chill dough for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Roll dough in 1 inch balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheet or silicone baking mats.
- Bake 9 to 10 minutes, or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from oven.
- Add about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. While still warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar. Now my favorite part – eat them! Store cookies in an airtight container.
Kumar's Kitchen says
from now on we sure are going to call these terrific cookies delicious too….adorable treats…perfect for a celebration 🙂
Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says
We love Snowball Cookies in our family! We call them Russian Teacakes as well. I’ve made them with cocoa and called them ‘Dirty Snowballs’, ha! No matter what you call them, a Christmas cookie tray is lacking if there aren’t any of these scrumptious cookies on them! Thank you for sharing along with the history of jumbles, Pamela! And… best wishes to you and your family for a meaningful and joyous Christmas holiday!
Katie says
My mom makes these for Christmas because her dad loved them. He was Italian, so they called them Italian Wedding Cookies – and they were shaped into little crescents. They always make me wish I liked pecans!
Monet says
These are my absolute favorite cookie! And I agree, whatever you call them….we all know they’re GOOD! Thank you for sharing!
Renee@Two in the Kitchen says
We call them snowballs around here and I love them!! yours look delicious!!
Kelly says
Love these! They are one of my favorite holiday cookies too and I love that you shared the story behind them:) Hehe delicious sounds like the perfect for name for these cookies and I can never get enough of these snowy beauties:)
Debra says
I love these Russian Teacakes/Mexican Wedding cookies. I call them delicious too!
Jamie | Jamie's Recipes says
I don’t think it matters what you call them! Anything with pecans in it is good in my book 🙂 Happy holidays Pamela!
P.S. I LOVE your silver locks!
Cailee says
Oh yum!! These look so delicious!! I love snowball cookies… they are just so tasty!! Thanks for sharing!
Ally @ The Cheery Baker says
These are my FAVORITE Christmas cookie! You’re pictures make them look even more mouth watering.
And I agree with you… I also just call them delicious 🙂
hani/hanielas says
These were so good!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Call them what you want because these cookies are delicious! Can’t get enough of them!
vanillasugarblog says
I call these cookies “I almost choked on them because of the powdered sugar”! LOL!
I swear if you stuff too many in your mouth its dangerous! LOL
They are sooo good with chai tea!
Mason Canyon says
Whatever they’re called, they are delicious. I love eating them, but have never tried making them. I think it would be too tempting to have them on hand.
Faith @ Pixie Dust Kitchen says
These look great! I haven’t had these kind of cookies in so long, I want to make some myself now!
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
Oooh – snowballs! Love these Pamela!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I know them as snowballs. These look so pretty and delicious, Pam.
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
Snowballs!!!! I love these cookies too, especially when made with pecans.
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
These cookies remind me of my mom… it’s her favorite. She calls them Russian Tea Cakes as well 🙂
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
I don’t care what you call them, these just look straight up awesome!
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
How did you know snowball cookies are my favorite?!
Suzanne says
Love these cookies. Would love to be the recipient of one of your gift baskets.
Prudy @butter, basil, and breadcrumbs says
Just beautiful Pamela… They’re one of my most favorite cookies! <3
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Russian teacakes make an appearance every year at our family gatherings! So good!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
So pretty! My Mom and I make a Greek version of these called Kourabiedes around the holidays, but use almond extract instead of actual nuts. I’d love to try it out with the pecans!
Shundara@SavyNaturalista says
I call them gorgeous and delicious!!! I am also in love with your hair color it looks nice 🙂
Kristina says
These are so pretty! I love snowballs, I’ve never made them before – always the first I steal off everyone else’s cookie plate 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
These look delicious Pamela!
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
Delicious does sound like the best possible name for these cookies! I love seeing unique cookies, and these are definitely some I want to try – Pinned!
Coffee and Crumpets says
I remember making jumbles many Christmases ago! These look delightful, delicate and snow like 🙂 I love the melt in the mouth texture too of snow balls. Beautiful!