Snowball Cookies (Walnut + Melt-in-Your-Mouth!)
SNOWBALL COOKIES — Buttery, walnut filled cookies rolled in powdered sugar for that “snowy” look! They are so tender and melt in your mouth delicious with a rich vanilla flavor.
They are those cookies that you make once and just return to, especially when you want something easy but special. The dough comes together quickly and the coating of powdered sugar is festive with every bite.
They’re also the best for make-ahead baking: Their flavor grows richer after a day, and they store beautifully. If you’re putting together a cookie box for the holidays, these are great to add a soft crumbly texture alongside crispy cookies.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy and buttery… really does melt in your mouth
- Loaded with crunchy walnuts in each forkful
- Basic pantry ingredients and simple method of mixing
- That snowy powdered sugar coat looks so nice sitting on a plate
- Great for gifting, cookie trays and make-ahead baking
Ingredients
Candy base + Finish
For the cookie dough
- Butter, unsalted: 200 g (14 tbsp / 1 ¾ sticks)
- Icing sugar: 60 g (approximately 1/2 cup)
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- All-purpose flour : 250 g (approx 2 cups) – sieve once & then measure.
- Chopped walnuts: 100gm (approximately 1 cup)
- Salt: a pinch
For coating
- Powdered sugar: 100 g (approximately 1 cup), for dusting
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Butter: Use softened butter for a creamy, smooth base to mix everything together. If your kitchen is particularly warm, chill the dough briefly if it feels greasy.
- Powdered sugar: It is the secret, extra tenderizing ingredient in these cookies. Granulated sugar won’t yield the same melt-in-your mouth crumb.
- Walnuts: Chop the nuts fine so they don’t make the batter crumbly or interfere with rolling out the cookies. You can substitute pecans or almonds.
- Vanilla extract: Opt for pure vanilla if it’s available for the best flavor.
- Flour – spoon and level if measuring by cups to avoid over flouring.
How to Make SNOWBALL COOKIES
- Finely chop the walnuts (as in, small pieces, not dust).
- In a bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and creamy. Add the vanilla, and mix again.
- Whisk in the flour and a pinch of salt. Add the little lump of dough to it and mix until it’s all crumbly.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts and mix until dough comes together (you may finish it by hand).
- Form the dough into small balls and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake until the bottoms are barely golden and the tops appear set. Let cool so they firm up.
- Roll and coat each cookie in powdered sugar.
- For a more snowy appearance, roll again once cookies are completely cool.
Expert Tips
- Chop the walnuts pretty fine, so that your dough holds together and your cookies don’t crack when you roll them.
- Chill briefly if the dough starts to feel too soft or sticky, so that the balls hold their shape.
- Don’t overbake — pull them when the bottoms are pale golden for the most tender texture.
- Wait until cookies have cooled ever so slightly to roll, as hot cookies will melt the sugar into a paste.
- Double-roll: when hot, when undeniably cool for maximum thick white layer.
- An equally sized cookie that bakes at the same rate), use a small cookie scoop.
- Store powdered sugar in a hallow bowl for quick and even coating.
Storage & Freezing
- Room temp: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Fridge: No need but you can keep it in the fridge for up to 7 days (take out and come to temp before serving).
- Freezer: Baked cookies (uncoated or coated) can be frozen up to 2 months.
- Thawing: Thaw at room temperature. Dust with new powdered sugar if necessary just before serving.
Variations
- Substitute walnuts for pecans for a classic buttery bent.
- For a warm festive flavor, add 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
- Add mini chocolate chips (make sure they’re the small variety so rolling stays easy).
- Toss in orange zest, and your coleslaw will have a bright, citrus flavor.
- If you want a bakery quality taste, remove some of the vanilla and add almond extract.
SNOWBALL COOKIES
Buttery vanilla walnut cookies rolled in powdered sugar for a soft, melt-in-your-mouth “snowy” finish.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Chop the walnuts into small pieces.
- Beat the butter with 60 g powdered sugar until creamy, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour and a pinch of salt. Mix until crumbly.
- Add the chopped walnuts and mix until the dough comes together (finish by hand if needed).
- Roll into small balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set. Cool.
- Roll cookies in powdered sugar.
- Roll again after fully cooled for a thicker coating.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Chop walnuts finely so the dough rolls smoothly and holds together.
- For extra snowy cookies, roll twice: once slightly warm, then again when fully cool.
- If the dough feels too soft to roll, chill briefly, then shape.
- Swap walnuts with pecans or almonds if preferred.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs
Q1: Why do my cookies crumble?
Just ensure that the walnuts are chopped very fine and the dough is fully brought together before rolling.
Q2: Can I use salted butter?
Yes — just omit the additional pinch of salt.
A3: No! Do I need to roll it in powdered sugar twice?
No, but repeating the roll adds a thicker, prettier “snowball” coating.
Q4: Can I prepare the dough in advance?
Yes. You can store the dough, covered, in the fridge, then roll and bake as needed.
Q5: How do I tell when they are done baking?
You want them to be lightly golden on the bottoms and set, but pale on top (they shouldn’t brown much in the oven).
A6: Yes, you can freeze the dough balls.
Yes. Freeze the formed balls, then bake from frozen (add a couple minutes) and coat after they cool.
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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
