If you’re looking for the best melt-in-your-mouth snowball cookies, this simple holiday favourite is the only recipe you need! Growing up, these soft and powdery treats were always on every Christmas platter and in every cookie tin I’d get my hands on over the holidays. Rolled in fluffy powered sugar, and incredibly easy to make, they are the perfect addition to any dessert table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Melt-In-Your-Mouth Texture: These cookies have an incredible texture and crumb that like, literally melt in your mouth – so yummy!
- Easy To Make With Simple Ingredients: You don’t need to be an expert baker to make these cookies, they come together pretty easily and use simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.
- Ultimate Christmas/ Holiday Treat: Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes, this cookie is a must bake for holiday parties, sweet treats, and they are the best cookies for cookie exchanges. You can also try my Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies if you’re looking for another amazing holiday baking idea!
Ingredients For Snowball Cookies
All Purpose Flour: 2 + 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, sifted to remove any clumps.
Butter: 1 cup of butter softened to room temperature. I always use salted butter, but if you aren’t using salted butter, add the 1/4 tsp of salt mentioned below.
Powdered Sugar: 3/4 cups of powdered sugar for the dough, plus an additional 1 + 1/2 cups to coat the dough balls, sifted to remove clumps.
Vanilla Extract: 1 + 1/2 tsp.
Salt: If you’re using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp of salt.
How To Make Melt-In-Your-Mouth Snowball Cookies
- Cream the Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter until smooth.
- Add the Sugar & Vanilla: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the Flour: With your mixer on low, slowly begin adding the flour (and salt if needed). Slowly increase the speed of your hand mixer until all the flour is added. The dough will seem dry but will come together in the end, and should have a thick, sandy texture.
- Cool the Dough: Press the sandy dough into one solid ball of dough, before covering the mixing bowl with plastic wrap, and letting it cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This process helps the balls hold their shape in the oven while they bake.
- Preheat Oven & Prep: While the dough is cooling in the fridge, preheat your oven to 350℉ and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Get the remaining powdered sugar ready in a bowl, wide enough for rolling.
- Roll Into Balls: Take your snowball cookie dough out of the fridge, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, and roll them into balls, placing them on your cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the bottom is just browned.
- Coating the Balls: Let the snowball cookies cool for about 5-10 minutes until they are cool enough to handle with your hands. Roll them in the powdered sugar, and return them to the cookie sheets. Once they’ve cooled completely, roll them for a second time to give them a final coating of powdered sugar.
How to Store your Snowball Cookies
- Snowball cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container.
- You can freeze the snowball cookies in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Note: If you are making these snowball cookies ahead of time for a cookie exchange or as gifts, the powdered sugar may dissolve a bit during the thawing process. Give them another roll or two in powdered sugar as needed.
- You can also freeze the unbaked balls for up to three months in a freezer safe container. Let me them for about 20 minutes on the counter before baking.
More Easy Holiday Baking Ideas
If you’re looking for more easy holiday baking ideas, this Grinch Crinkle Cookie recipe is always a hit with the kids, or the always rich and delicious Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing!
Thanks for spending time with me! If you made these snowball cookies I’d love to hear how they turned out! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below, and be sure to give this recipe a rating – it really helps me out :)!
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, slowly begin to mix in the flour (and salt if your using unsalted butter). Slowly increase the speed of the mixer until all the flour is added. The dough may seem dry during this process but it will come together into a thick, sandy texture.
- Press the dough into a ball, and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- While the dough is cooling, preheat your oven to 350℉, line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, and get the remaining powdered sugar ready for rolling.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into balls, placing them on the parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms are just browned.
- Let the balls cool for 5-10 until cool enough to handle, and roll them in the powdered sugar. Return them to the cookie sheet and allow them to cool completely before rolling them a final time in the powdered sugar so you get the perfect coating.
Notes
- Snowball Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container for ziplock bag.
- If making ahead, you can freeze the unbaked dough balls in the freezer. Just let them thaw for 20 minutes on the counter before baking then rolling.
- If you’re freezing baked snowball cookies, the powdered sugar may dissolve while thawing. Give them another roll or two in powdered sugar before serving.
