Snow Ball Christmas Cookies and Online Cookie Exchange. These buttery snowball cookies, also known as Russian tea cakes or pecan meltaway cookies, are the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth cookies! Loaded with crushed pecans and rolled in powdered sugar, makes them one of our favorite cookies during the Christmas season. They also make great teacher gifts!
For as long as I can remember, my girls have always called these small buttery cookies the ‘Snow Ball Christmas Cookies.’ The name evolved from the popular Disney movie at that time ‘Snow White,’ which all little girls loved.
Nowadays, all the little girls, including my granddaughter are into the current Disney movie ‘Frozen.’
You can gather your little bakers in the kitchen; play the song “Let it Go” as you sing along and create these easy-to-make confections. And at the same time, creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime!
What are Snowball Cookies?
Snowball Cookies are small, round, buttery bite-size cookies loaded with chopped pecans. They are rolled in powdered sugar to give them their snow-white appearance, making them perfect for the holiday season.
They are made without eggs but loaded with butter to give them their light, crumbly texture that dissolves quickly and melts in your mouth with your first bite.
To Make These Snow Ball Christmas Cookies:
Getting started is easy. Using simple ingredients such as butter, flour, powdered sugar, and crushed pecans makes these cookies so simple to make, chill, shape into balls, then bake.
No eggs in this recipe.
Simply beat sugar with butter, then add in the rest of the dry ingredients and shape into balls. Here, if you need to, you may chill the balls for a few minutes to firm them before baking.
The recipe calls for slow baking them at 325 degrees F for about 15 to 18 minutes and then roll them into the powdered sugar while still warm, and then again the second time once they cool completely.
Easy-peasy!!
They stay fresh for one week in a sealed container, and they freeze beautifully too!
If you freeze these cookies, just dust them again with powdered sugar to give them a fresh appearance just before serving.
Best served at room temperature.
All generations of all ages will enjoy these snow ball cookies as much as we do.
These snow ball Christmas cookies are so good!! Your friends and loved ones will LOVE them! Besides, everyone always looks forward to them year after year.
Ok, who’s doing a cookie swap? Here are a few more cookie recipes you might enjoy!
Coconut Cherry Shortbread Cookies are snowball cookies made with shredded coconut, dried cherries, and chocolate morsels.
And finally, try these!
-
Italian Lemon Cookies with Lemon Glaze
-
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
-
Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies
-
Lemon Thyme Tea Cookies
-
Easy Coconut Orange Macaroons (Gluten-Free)
-
Dulce de Leche Butter Cookies
-
Chewy Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
-
Best Pumpkin Cookies with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
I thought it would be fun to offer an “online cookie exchange” and invite some of our foodie-friends to be a part of it. Our full recipe card for our Snow Ball Christmas Cookies will be at the bottom of this post for you to easily print.
In the meantime, enjoy some of our friend’s cookie recipes as part of our virtual online cookie exchange!
Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Biscotti by Roz
Lemon Ice Cookies by Dan
Cinnamon Stars by Tricia
Soft Gingersnap Cookies by Barbara
Pecan Shortbead Cookies by Susan, and Peppermint Macarons by Joanne
ENJOY!!
Yield: 3 to 4 dozen
Snow Ball Christmas Cookies
Snow Ball Christmas Cookies are buttery, sweet and melt-in-your-mouth cookies! Easy to make and bake and perfect for the holidays!
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) ( 227grams) unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup ( 35 grams) sifted powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. water
- 2 cups (240 grams) sifted all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup ( 125 grams) finely chopped pecans
- 1 to 2 cups ( 240 grams) powdered sugar - for dusting and rolling balls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F degrees (162.8 C).
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Blend in water.
- Gradually add in and combine the flour and salt, and beat until well blended. Add the pecans. If the cookie dough is too soft, we recommend chilling the dough for at least 15 to 20 minutes, until firm.
- Shape into 1-inch balls. Or you can use a small ice cream scoop. Roll into powdered sugar. Place balls at least 1-inch apart onto a non-stick cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
- While cookies are warm, roll into powdered sugar. Cool on wire racks for a few minutes.
- Then roll again (the second time) into powdered sugar.
- Store them in a sealed container for up to one week. They freeze well, and for up to one month.
- Yields: 3 to 4 dozen snowballs
Notes
To Chop Nuts Quickly: you can chop the pecans with a mini chopper or food processor and pulse ONLY a few times to chop them. Do not make them too fine, or powdery, a few chunky pieces are ok as well.
If pecans are too fine they may cause the cookies to crumble easily.
Also, cookies will be very delicate to handle, it is best to wait until they cool down before rolling them in powdered sugar. If they are too warm, this too will cause them to fall apart and crumble easily.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3 to 4 dozenServing Size:
2 snowball cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 100Total Fat: 7.6gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCarbohydrates: 6.9gFiber: .5gSugar: 1.6gProtein: 1g
Hello friends! If you make these delicious snow ball Christmas cookies, let us know and leave a comment and a star rating below! Have fun and snap a photo and share it on Instagram and on Pinterest; be sure to tag us @2sistersrecipes.
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Thanks for Pinning and Sharing!!
We hope you’ll be baking up a storm this weekend! Have fun!
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
xo Anna and Liz
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 2 cookies Servings: 3 to 4 dozen. Total Fat: 7.6g Saturated Fat: 3.5g Cholesterol: 14mg Sodium: 52mg Total Carbohydrate: 6.9g Dietary Fiber: 0.5g Total Sugars: 1.6g Protein: 1g Vitamin D: 4mcg Calcium: 4mg Iron: 0mg Potassium: 2mg
24 Comments
DJ
December 30, 2021 at 12:37 pmI wanted to comment on the request for metrics. I totally agree that using metrics weight for light butter cookie recipes makes perfect sense. Depending on the brand, 1cup of flour weighs different for each one. Especially for bakers that only make cookies at holidays and do not have a sense of how the batter should feel. Now, if I could only figure out the fat difference among the various brands of butter. Which can cause different results in butter cookies.
by Anna and Liz
December 30, 2021 at 1:20 pmHI DJ,
that is true, but I’m not too concerned about the fat difference in various brands of butter. I only prefer “organic” brands of butter, unsalted and creamy. Have a Happy New Year and a wonderful, safe weekend! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Wendi
December 23, 2021 at 11:36 amIt sure what I did wrong…when you pick them up…they just explode into crumbles. If you bite into them…you almost choke as you just have a mouth full of crumbles. Not sure what I did wrong – maybe I chopped the pecans too fine?
by Anna and Liz
December 23, 2021 at 2:47 pmHi Wendy,
It sounds like it could be the pecans were chopped too fine, and that could cause them to crumble easily. So sorry that happened.
Paul Sayer
December 23, 2021 at 4:15 amI would have used your recipe!
But!
Cup of this, cup of that, sticks of butter.
It would be so much simpler for everybody just to have metric weights and oven temp.
I mean, whats the point of measuring the butter in a cup before I put it in abowl for mixing.
So annoying!
by Anna and Liz
December 23, 2021 at 2:53 pmHi Paul, That’s a very good question? If you live in the USA, all the butter comes in the form of sticks, or tubs. All the sticks of butter are labeled with tablespoons and cup measurements for baking and cooking. But if you don’t live in the USA, then, I can understand where it is better to convert to metrics and will consider that for every recipe. Thanks so much for the tip! 🙂
Becky
December 19, 2021 at 9:37 pmOk, what did I do wrong? Mine crumbled and fell apart. Not sure what I did wrong.
by Anna and Liz
December 19, 2021 at 10:03 pmHi Becky! I’m not sure, but sometimes if the cookies are too warm, they will crumble while they are rolled in powdered sugar. That has happened to me as well. It’s best to wait for them to cool before handling them. I hope this helps!
xo Happy Baking! 🙂
Paul
December 23, 2021 at 4:17 amYour cups for measuring were probably larger or smaller than the ones we are given in the recipe.
Would be so much simpler with metric weights.
I automatically ignore any recipes with cup measurements.
by Anna and Liz
December 23, 2021 at 2:48 pmHi Paul, I see your point, and will go in and add those grams into our recipe card! Thanks so much for a great tip! 🙂
by Anna and Liz
December 23, 2021 at 3:05 pmHi Paul!
I went in and took care of that for you, check it out! If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to send a message. Thanks again and have a wonderful holiday!
by Anna and Liz
December 14, 2019 at 11:24 amOh thanks you Sandra! We love hearing from you! Enjoy your weekend and Happy Baking!!
Sandra
December 14, 2019 at 8:37 amThese sound wonderful. I only make cookies at Christmas or when my grandson comes to stay! Thank you for another delicious Christmas recipe!
Dan from Platter Talk
December 2, 2018 at 6:54 pmWe are a huge fan of Christmas cookies and these snowball Christmas cookies are among Santa’s favorites; and mine too! Beautiful job, Ladies and happy holidays to you and your families!
by Anna and Liz
December 4, 2018 at 2:29 pmThank you Dan for a sweet comment! Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family as well!
Italian Lemon Cookies with Lemon Glaze for Christmas! - 2 Sisters Recipes by Anna and Liz
November 29, 2017 at 4:45 am[…] Snow Ball Christmas Cookies […]
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
December 22, 2014 at 6:45 pmThese are my husband's favorite cookies – but we do call them Russian Tea Cakes. Thanks for the link love! Merry Christmas to you both and I hope you have a very Happy New Year too! Happy baking 🙂
annaliz
December 24, 2014 at 2:52 amThank you Tricia! We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy new year!
annaliz
December 20, 2014 at 2:36 amSo glad to hear that – it's funny how these cookies have evolved into different names.
Betty
December 20, 2014 at 12:35 amWe always called these "Exploding Cookies" because when we were little it seemed to us that they exploded when we bit into them. 🙂 One of my favorites!
Roz Corieri Paige
December 19, 2014 at 10:15 pmWow, I love these cookies. . . we used to call them Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies, but I like your name better! I could (and would) eat a whole plate of these; I need to try your recipe, since the one I used was out of a cookbook from long ago. Thank you so much for kindly including my biscotti in your cookie exchange! I'll be sending info to you guys about my next recipe roundup going on in the next week.
Have a blessed Christmas,
xo
Roz
annaliz
December 20, 2014 at 2:26 amThanks Roz, we look forward to seeing it. Have a Merry Christmas!
SavoringTime in the Kitchen
December 19, 2014 at 9:38 pmAn all-time favorite! I usually shaped them into crescents but love the idea of calling them into balls and calling them snowballs. Even my 2-1/2 year old grandson knows who Anna and Elsa are 🙂 Merry Christmas, ladies!
annaliz
December 20, 2014 at 2:25 amOh how sweet! Thank you and Merry Christmas to you!