I’m finally sharing my family’s Shortbread Snowball Cookies recipe, passed down through generations, and the small secret ingredient that makes these powdered sugar cookies unmistakable.

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My family’s Butter Snowballs are the kind of cookie you think you know until you bite one. I use plenty of unsalted butter so the texture just vanishes on your tongue, and I toss in pecans or walnuts for a little unexpected crunch.

It’s been a holiday staple for generations, and yet every year someone asks what makes them different, like there’s a secret tucked inside. I won’t give the how to here, but if you like melt in your mouth treats that leave a powdery kiss behind, this Snowball Cookies Recipe Christmas might be the one you keep making.

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter: rich in saturated fat, gives tender crumb and buttery flavor, melts beautifully.
Granulated sugar: pure sweetener, mostly simple carbs, adds structure and caramel notes when baked.
Vanilla extract: tiny amount, big aroma boost, masks bitterness and makes cookies taste homey.
All purpose flour: mostly carbs and some protein, gives structure, overmixing makes it dense.
Fine sea salt: tiny amount balances sweetness, enhances other flavors, adds subtle contrast.
Pecans or walnuts: add crunch, healthy fats and protein, toasty notes, chop however you like.
Powdered sugar: super fine, gives snowy coating and extra sweetness, melts into a delicate crust.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, at room temp

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (240g) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (120g) pecans or walnuts, finely chopped

1 1/2 to 2 cups (180-240g) powdered sugar for rolling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place rack in the middle of the oven.

2. If you like deeper nut flavor, toast 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant, stirring. Let cool and chop fine.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) room temp unsalted butter with 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined.

4. Whisk together 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low until just combined. Fold in the cooled chopped nuts.

5. Chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up. If you forget, you can still scoop but cookies will spread more.

6. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into 1 inch balls with your palms, place about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. If dough cracks when rolling, chill a bit longer.

7. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the bottoms are set and tops are barely changing color. They should not brown much, you’re aiming for melt in your mouth, not crispy.

8. While still warm but not hot, roll each cookie in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar to coat lightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once fully cool, roll again in more powdered sugar if you want that extra snowy look, use up to 2 cups total. Rolling warm helps the sugar stick, the second roll gives the classic snowball finish.

9. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze formed dough balls on a tray then bake from frozen, add a couple extra minutes to bake time.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 350°F
2. Baking sheet and parchment paper
3. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon, its fine either way but mixer is faster
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Skillet for toasting nuts (optional) plus a knife and cutting board to chop them
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and your hands to roll 1 inch balls
8. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage

FAQ

Q: Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted? A: Yes, but cut the added salt to about a pinch or skip it, since salted butter varies in saltiness. Its safer to use unsalted for best control.

Q: How do I keep the cookies from spreading too much? A: Don’t overcream the butter and sugar, and chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes if it feels soft. Roll them into tight balls and bake on a cool sheet pan, that helps them keep shape.

Q: When should I roll them in powdered sugar so they look "snowy"? A: Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar once right out of the oven, then let them cool and roll again for that double-coated snowball look.

Q: Can I make these ahead or freeze them? A: Yes. Freeze shaped raw balls on a tray until firm, then bag them. Bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes. Baked cookies freeze well too, thaw to room temp and re-roll in powdered sugar.

Q: What if I dont have pecans or walnuts? A: You can swap toasted almonds or even skip nuts for a pure butter cookie. If using almonds, chop them fine so texture stays consistent.

Q: How do I get a tender, crumbly texture instead of dense cookies? A: Use room temp butter, measure flour by spooning it into the cup then leveling, and avoid overworking the dough. If dough seems dry add a teaspoon of milk, if too wet chill it.

Butter Snowballs Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter: swap with salted butter 1:1 (226g) and skip the 1/4 tsp salt, or use a vegan stick butter 1:1 but chill the dough a bit longer before rolling.
Granulated sugar: use light brown sugar 1:1 for a softer, caramel note, or coconut sugar 1:1 for a deeper, toasty flavor; expect slightly darker cookies.
Vanilla extract: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 for a richer taste, or almond extract at about half the amount (start with 1/2 tsp) since it’s stronger.
Pecans or walnuts: swap with finely chopped almonds 1:1 for a similar texture, or use toasted sunflower seeds 1:1 to make them nut free, just pulse fine before mixing.

Pro Tips

– Toast the nuts, then let them cool completely before chopping or pulsing. Pulse in short bursts so you get little bits not a paste, and stop sooner than you think — burnt or oily nuts will wreck the delicate texture.

– Butter should be soft but not greasy. A quick poke test helps: it should give, but still hold shape. If it gets too soft, chill the dough and the scooped balls on a tray before baking so they dont spread into flat cookies.

– Don’t overmix the dough, fold just until combined. Overworking develops gluten and makes these lose that melt-in-your-mouth feel, so use a gentle hand when adding the flour and nuts.

– For the best snowy coating, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the powdered sugar so it stays dry and bright, roll once while the cookies are warm, then again after cooling. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to roll warm cookies if your hands get too hot.

Butter Snowballs Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m finally sharing my family’s Shortbread Snowball Cookies recipe, passed down through generations, and the small secret ingredient that makes these powdered sugar cookies unmistakable.

Servings

servings

Calories

187

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven set to 350°F
2. Baking sheet and parchment paper
3. Large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon, its fine either way but mixer is faster
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Skillet for toasting nuts (optional) plus a knife and cutting board to chop them
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and your hands to roll 1 inch balls
8. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (120g) pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups (180-240g) powdered sugar for rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place rack in the middle of the oven.
If you like deeper nut flavor, toast 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant, stirring. Let cool and chop fine.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) room temp unsalted butter with 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Whisk together 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low until just combined. Fold in the cooled chopped nuts.
Chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up. If you forget, you can still scoop but cookies will spread more.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into 1 inch balls with your palms, place about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. If dough cracks when rolling, chill a bit longer.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the bottoms are set and tops are barely changing color. They should not brown much, you're aiming for melt in your mouth, not crispy.
While still warm but not hot, roll each cookie in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar to coat lightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once fully cool, roll again in more powdered sugar if you want that extra snowy look, use up to 2 cups total. Rolling warm helps the sugar stick, the second roll gives the classic snowball finish.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze formed dough balls on a tray then bake from frozen, add a couple extra minutes to bake time.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.