Butter Snowball Cookies Recipe

My Shortbread Snowball Cookies recipe uses pecans or walnuts and a simple baking trick that guarantees a perfect powdered sugar finish for Christmas.

I know these butter snowball cookies can look so simple but they really surprise you. I bake them with unsalted butter and a good handful of pecans and they just crumble in your mouth like tiny snowy bites.

I sometimes call mine Vanilla Snowball Cookies because friends always guess there was some secret trick, like I hid a chef somewhere. Photos never do them justice the powdered coat turns them into Cookies With Powdered Sugar dreams and every bite makes you pause wondering whats inside.

If you like little surprises in a cookie you might be curious.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: Rich fat that adds tenderness, flavor, a melt in your mouth texture.
• Powdered sugar: Finely ground sugar that sweetens and gives a soft powdery coating, few nutrients.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warm fragrant aroma and a little sweetness, it lifts overall flavor.
• All purpose flour: Provides structure and carbs, helps cookies keep their shape.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and boosts flavor, tiny amount really improves the taste.
• Pecans or walnuts: Nuts add crunch, healthy fats, fiber and protein, gives nutty background flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 to 2 cups for coating
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. If you want extra flavor, lightly toast 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, then let cool; finely chop and set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer or a good arm workout by hand, then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

4. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl.

5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms, then fold in the cooled chopped nuts; dont overmix or the cookies will get tough.

6. If the dough feels too soft to shape chill it 20 to 30 minutes, it makes rolling so much easier.

7. Pinch off about 1-inch portions and roll into balls

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. Optional but nice: toast 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, let cool and finely chop.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer or a good arm workout by hand, then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

4. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl, spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont pack it.

5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms, fold in the cooled chopped nuts; dont overmix or the cookies get tough.

6. If dough feels too soft to shape chill it 20 to 30 minutes, this makes rolling so much easier and helps them keep their shape.

7. Pinch off about 1-inch portions, roll into smooth balls using your palms or a small cookie scoop for even sizes, place about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet.

8. Bake on the middle rack 12 to 15 minutes until set and the bottoms are just barely golden, not browned; let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes.

9. While still warm roll the cookies in enough powdered sugar to coat, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then roll again in 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar for that classic snowy look.

10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, layering with parchment if stacking; if you want they get even softer and more melt in your mouth after a day.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Dry skillet (for toasting nuts)
4. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for dry ingredients
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk/wooden spoon for a good arm workout if you do it by hand
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Chef knife and cutting board (to chop the nuts)
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and your hands for rolling
9. Wire cooling rack and a small bowl for powdered sugar coating

FAQ

Butter Snowball Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter (1 cup): use 1 cup salted butter instead, just skip about 1/4 tsp salt in the dough; or 1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco) 1:1 for a tender, less-buttery cookie; or 1 cup solid coconut oil 1:1, room temp, expect a bit more density and mild coconut flavor.
• Powdered sugar (1/2 cup + 1–2 cups for coating): make your own by blitzing granulated sugar in a blender or food processor with 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup of sugar (so for 1/2 cup use 1/2 cup granulated + 1/2 tbsp cornstarch); storebought icing sugar works the same. For coating, use the same homemade method or swap some of the coating for cocoa powder mixed with powdered sugar for a chocolate twist.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp): substitute 1 tsp vanilla paste or scraped seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean 1:1; use 1/2 tsp almond extract for a nutty note (stronger, so use less); or 1 tsp pure maple syrup if you don’t have vanilla, flavor will change slightly.
• Pecans or walnuts (3/4 cup): swap 1:1 with toasted almonds, hazelnuts or pistachios; for nut-free, use 3/4 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or 3/4 cup crushed pretzels or 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips for crunch instead.

Pro Tips

1) Toast the nuts first for way better flavor, but watch them closely cause they go from fragrant to burned fast. Let them cool completely, then chop finely or pulse a few quick bursts in a food processor so you get little bits not paste.

2) Measure flour the right way: spoon it into the cup and level it off or, better yet, weigh it — 1 cup all purpose flour is about 125 g. Too much flour = dry, crumbly cookies.

3) Chill the dough if it feels soft, and use a small cookie scoop for uniform balls so they bake evenly. Bake until the cookies are just set and the bottoms are only barely golden, not brown; that keeps them tender and melt-in-your-mouth.

4) Roll while warm, then again when cooled for that snowy look. If the first coating gets gummy, let them cool fully and dust then; storing a day lets the flavors mellow, and layer with parchment when stacking so they don’t stick.