Snowball Cookies

These easy, melt-in-your-mouth Snowball Cookies are a simple and delicious one-bowl recipe! They're perfect for Christmas parties or cookie trays.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings cookies

Calories 123kcal

Equipment

food processor (we used a mini food processor)
large bowl
Measuring cups
measuring spoons
Electric Mixer
Spatula or cooking spoon
plastic wrap
cookie sheets

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter room-temperature
2 cups powdered sugar divided
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped almonds toasting the nuts gives them a bolder flavor

US Customary - Metric

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Place almonds in a food processor or high-powered blender and process until finely chopped.
In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down and sides with a spatula.
Add ¾ cup powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until nice and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla and beat on medium speed until it's thoroughly combined.
Using a slow speed, beat in the flour and salt. It may look like it will not combine, but it will. Switch the mixer to high speed and beat the dough until it comes together. Finally, beat in the almonds.
Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (up to 3 days). If chilling for more than 3 hours, the dough will be stiff, so take it out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you roll it in balls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Then line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Next, pour the remaining 1¼ cup powdered sugar into a small bowl. Set both items aside.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator and scoop or roll about 1 tablespoon into a ball. Place them 1½ inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Baked until golden brown on the bottom and barely brown on the top, about 15 minutes.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar to coat them thoroughly. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely, then roll in the powdered sugar a second time—giving them a nice sugar coating.

Notes

Expect the dough to be crumbly when first mixing it. Switch the mixer to high speed, and it will come together.
Be sure to chill the Snowball Cookie Dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls. This will help the cookies hold their shape better and prevent them from spreading too much when baking.
Instead of nuts, consider using ½ cup of colored sprinkles in the dough for a fun twist! Add them when you would add the nuts.

To toast the nuts: Place chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes at 300°F (150°C). Let them cool slightly. Then, give them a very fine chop with a sharp knife or pulse them a few times in a food processor.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks. They will keep longer if stored in the refrigerator.

To freeze, place your snowball Christmas cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and store them for 3 months.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition