Meltingly Soft Snowball Cookies
These meltingly soft snowball cookies are a nostalgic holiday treat with a tender crumb and balanced sweetness, featuring toasted nuts and a powdered sugar coating for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, divided
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
Instructions
- Toast the nuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans or walnuts and toast, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat 1 cup (227g) softened unsalted butter with ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar until light and fluffy—about 3-4 minutes.
- Add vanilla and salt: Mix in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon salt until combined.
- Incorporate flour: Gradually add 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in toasted nuts: Gently stir in the cooled nuts with a spatula so they’re evenly distributed.
- Shape the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls—about 1 tablespoon (15g) each—and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden but the tops remain pale.
- Cool and roll in sugar: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully roll them in remaining powdered sugar (about ½ cup or 60g) while still warm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then roll again in powdered sugar.
Notes
If dough feels too soft to shape, chill for 15-20 minutes before forming balls. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft. Double rolling in powdered sugar ensures a beautiful snowy coating. Use room temperature butter for best texture. Toast nuts lightly to enhance flavor. Dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Protein: 1
Keywords: snowball cookies, holiday cookies, soft cookies, toasted nuts, powdered sugar cookies, easy cookies, Christmas treats