Snowball cookies bring that perfect bite of buttery crumble dusted in sweet snow—ideal for holiday tins, gift bags, or late-night snacking by the fire. These 20 variations keep the classic melt-in-your-mouth texture but play with flavors from matcha to mocha. Easy to bake, impossible to resist.
1. Classic Pecan Snowballs
Finely chopped toasted pecans fold into a tender shortbread dough that bakes into golden spheres, then rolls warm in powdered sugar for a snowy coat that clings to every curve. The nuts add gentle crunch against the velvety crumble.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Cream butter and ½ cup sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla.
- Mix in flour, salt, pecans until dough forms. Chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll into 1-inch balls.
- Bake 12–14 minutes until set but not brown. Cool 5 minutes.
- Roll warm cookies in remaining sugar; cool completely, roll again.
How to Serve It
Pile in a glass jar tied with red ribbon. Dust extra sugar just before serving. Pair with hot cocoa or coffee. Keep in airtight tin up to 2 weeks.
2. Almond Snowballs with Amaretto
A splash of amaretto liqueur perfumes the dough with almond essence, while ground almonds keep the cookies extra tender and fragrant.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 2 tbsp amaretto
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ground almonds
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Beat butter, sugar, amaretto. Stir in flour, almonds, salt. Chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape 1-inch balls.
- Bake 15 minutes until pale golden at edges.
- Cool slightly, roll in sugar twice.
How to Serve It
Serve on doily-lined platters. Add a few whole almonds in the sugar bowl. Gift in cellophane bags with mini amaretto bottles.
3. Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Snowballs
Toasted hazelnuts star in the dough, then each cookie gets a dunk in melted dark chocolate for a truffle-like finish under the snow.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus ¾ cup for coating)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, vanilla. Add flour, nuts, salt. Chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 1-inch balls 12 minutes.
- Cool, roll in sugar. Melt chocolate; dip half of each cookie.
How to Serve It
Arrange on tiered stand with undipped snowballs. Sprinkle cocoa powder lightly. Store chocolate-side up in single layers.
4. Matcha Green Tea Snowballs
Culinary matcha powder lends earthy flavor and a subtle jade hue to the classic dough, balanced by the sweet snowy exterior.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 2 tbsp matcha powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Sift matcha with flour. Cream butter and sugar; mix in dry ingredients. Chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll 1-inch balls.
- Bake 13–15 minutes. Roll warm in sugar, then again when cool.
How to Serve It
Serve in white cups with green tea. Dust serving plate with matcha through stencil for snowflake pattern.
5. Lemon Zest Snowballs
Fresh lemon zest brightens the buttery base with citrus sparkle that cuts through the sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, zest, juice. Add flour and salt. Chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 1-inch balls 12 minutes.
- Roll twice in sugar.
How to Serve It
Garnish platter with thin lemon slices. Serve with chamomile tea or prosecco.
6. Coconut Snowballs
Finely shredded coconut in the dough creates tropical chew, doubled by a coconut-sugar coating.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup powdered sugar + ½ cup coconut for coating
Instructions
- Mix butter, sugar, extract. Stir in flour and coconut. Chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake balls 14 minutes.
- Roll in coconut-sugar mix while warm.
How to Serve It
Stack in clear ornament containers. Add edible glitter for sparkle.
7. Espresso Walnut Snowballs
Instant espresso powder gives a mocha kick that pairs with crunchy walnuts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Dissolve espresso in 1 tsp hot water; cool. Cream with butter and sugar.
- Add flour, walnuts, salt. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 12–14 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Serve with after-dinner coffee. Dust lightly with cocoa.
8. Cardamom Pistachio Snowballs
Ground cardamom adds warm spice to buttery pistachio dough for an aromatic twist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup finely chopped pistachios
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, cardamom. Mix in flour, nuts, salt. Chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 15 minutes.
- Roll warm in sugar.
How to Serve It
Present in gold-rimmed cups. Garnish with rose petals.
9. Gingerbread Spice Snowballs
Holiday spices blend into the dough for a gingerbread flavor in snowball form.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp cloves
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, spices. Add flour. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 12 minutes. Roll twice in sugar.
How to Serve It
Tie with twine and cinnamon stick. Serve with mulled wine.
10. Orange Cranberry Snowballs
Dried cranberries and orange zest bring tart-sweet bursts to each bite.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ cup chopped dried cranberries
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, zest. Fold in cranberries, flour. Chill 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F 14 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Serve on orange-slice lined platter. Pair with mulled cider.
11. Lavender Honey Snowballs
Food-grade lavender and honey create floral, soothing cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 1 tsp dried lavender
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, honey, sugar, lavender. Add flour. Chill 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F 13 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Package in purple tissue. Serve with Earl Grey.
12. Peanut Butter Snowballs
Creamy peanut butter makes ultra-tender cookies with nutty depth.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Beat butters and sugar. Mix in flour. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 12 minutes. Roll warm in sugar.
How to Serve It
Press peanut half into tops before second sugar roll.
13. Maple Walnut Snowballs
Pure maple syrup flavors the dough with autumn sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, syrup, sugar. Add walnuts, flour. Chill 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F 15 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Drizzle extra maple before serving.
14. Chai Spice Snowballs
Brewed chai tea concentrate infuses spiced flavor throughout.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 2 tbsp strong chai tea, cooled
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, tea, cinnamon. Add flour. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 12 minutes. Roll twice.
How to Serve It
Serve with chai lattes in small mugs.
15. Rosewater Pistachio Snowballs
Rosewater adds delicate floral perfume to pistachio dough.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 1 tsp rosewater
- ¾ cup ground pistachios
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, rosewater. Mix in pistachios, flour. Chill 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F 14 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Garnish with dried rose buds.
16. White Chocolate Macadamia Snowballs
Chunks of white chocolate melt into pockets of sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- ¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar. Fold in nuts, chips, flour. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 13 minutes. Roll warm.
How to Serve It
Stack in clear boxes with gold ribbon.
17. Cinnamon Sugar Snowballs
Cinnamon in the coating gives snickerdoodle vibes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon for coating
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar. Add flour. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 12 minutes. Roll in cinnamon-sugar.
How to Serve It
Warm from oven with Mexican hot chocolate.
18. Toffee Bit Snowballs
Heath bar bits add buttery crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- ¾ cup toffee bits
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar. Mix in toffee, flour. Chill 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F 14 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Package with coffee beans.
19. Peppermint Crunch Snowballs
Crushed candy canes bring cool mint crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, extract. Add flour, candy. Chill 30 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 12 minutes. Roll in sugar.
How to Serve It
Hang on tree in edible ornament bags.
20. Brown Butter Bourbon Snowballs
Browned butter and bourbon create complex, caramel notes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for coating)
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Brown butter; cool. Cream with sugar, bourbon. Add flour, salt. Chill 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F 15 minutes. Roll twice in sugar.
How to Serve It
Serve warm with bourbon on rocks.
Fill your kitchen with the scent of butter and sugar—these snowball cookies bake up fast and travel well. Save the recipes, bake a double batch, and share the joy all season long. Happy baking!
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