Walnut snowball cookies are one of the easiest holiday cookies you can make! With just a few ingredients, these cookies come together so easily and taste amazing. No holiday cookie platter is complete without these snowballs!
We make these walnut snowball cookies every year and they are always loved!
The chopped walnuts make for a wonderful texture and flavor and the fact that they look like snowballs make them perfect for the holidays.
Snowball cookies are a great addition to your holiday cookie spread along with pignoli, reginelle, pizelle, snickerdoodles, and many more!
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat your oven to 300f and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop 3 cups (300g) of walnuts and in a mixing bowl, combine them with 2 cups (240g) of all purpose flour, 6 tablespoons (75g) of granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. (Photo #1)
- Add 8 ounces (226g) of cubed butter that’s been softened to room temperature and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. (Photo #2)
- Use your hands to combine the ingredients until a coarse meal is formed. (Photo #3)
- Use your hands to form tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the baking sheets about 1-inch apart. (Photo #4)
- Bake the walnut dough balls for 35 minutes and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. (Photo #5)
- Add 2 cups (227g) of confectioner’s sugar to a bowl. Once the balls have completely cooled, begin to roll them in the sugar until coated on all sides. Dust with more powdered sugar prior to serving, if desired. (Photo #6) Enjoy!
Top tips
- Room temperature butter. This snowball cookie recipe calls for room-temperature butter. I’ll usually remove the butter from the fridge about an hour before starting. This is important since the butter needs to be pliable enough to form the dough balls.
- Nuts. This recipe uses walnuts, but you can definitely use other nuts such as pecans, or even a blend of walnuts and pecans.
- Cooling down. Allow the cookies to cool completely before rolling in the sugar otherwise the sugar may melt. If you find your sugar has melted at all, you can always re-roll the balls again or dust with more powdered sugar prior to serving.
More great holiday cookies
The holidays are a great time for cookies because they can be made ahead of time and can be transported easily. Here are a few more of our favorites!
- Linzer cookies – almond-flavored tart cookies filled with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.
- Almond biscotti – biscotti cookies loaded with almonds and dipped in dark chocolate.
- Lemon ricotta cookies – light and airy lemon-flavored cookies topped with a simple glaze and nonpareils.
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Walnut Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
- 3 cups (300g) walnuts finely chopped
- 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226g) unsalted butter cubed and softened to room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (227g) confectioner's sugar May not need it all
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300f and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, walnuts, sugar, and salt.
- Add the softened butter and vanilla extract to the flour mixture and combine with your hands to form a coarse meal.
- Using your hands, form small dough balls (about a tablespoon's worth) and place them on the cookie sheet.
- Bake the dough balls for 35 minutes and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cool, roll the balls in the powdered sugar. Dust with more powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Pecans can be used in place of walnuts.
- Walnut snowball cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- This recipe was written for a conventional oven. For convection ovens, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and begin checking for doneness at the 75% mark.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How do you know when they’re done?
Just follow the recipe and you will be fine. These are a very simple cookie with a dry texture.
Delicious! Made a double batch to freeze for the holidays.
Hi Kristin, we’re so happy you enjoyed this and have a wonderful holiday!
Had to double the butter. Would not form
Hi Sam, thanks for the comment. If the butter was too cold that could have been the problem. It should be softened to room temperature.
Hi Tara can I half your biscuits recipes as I want to make a selection.
Thanks
Hi Rose, yes, you can halve the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Cab I use plant butter?
Hi Tracey, we haven’t tested the recipe with plant-based butter so can’t say for sure how it will turn out. If you do try it this way, let us know.
I always love snow balls cookies I would like to try to make it this year for gift giving
The butter may have been too soft. They baked flat. They still tasted good.
Can I replace half the amount of butter with yogurt in the biscuit recipes?
Hi Cori, we haven’t tested this recipe with replacing the butter with yogurt so cannot say for sure, but yogurt has a very different consistency than butter so I would probably not make that replacement.