❄️ The Best Snowball Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes)
Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies or butterballs, these delicate cookies are perfect for holidays and gifting.
⏱ Time
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Chill: 30 minutes (recommended)
- Bake: 12–15 minutes
- Total: ~1 hour
🍪 Yield
About 24–30 cookies
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1½ cups powdered sugar (for rolling)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Cream the butter
In a large bowl, beat softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
2️⃣ Add vanilla
Mix in vanilla extract.
3️⃣ Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk flour and salt. Gradually mix into the butter mixture until just combined.
4️⃣ Add nuts
Fold in finely chopped pecans or walnuts.
5️⃣ Chill (Highly Recommended)
Chill dough 30 minutes. This helps prevent spreading.
6️⃣ Shape
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on lined baking sheet.
7️⃣ Bake
Bake 12–15 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden (tops stay pale).
8️⃣ First sugar coating
Let cool 5 minutes (still warm but not hot). Roll gently in powdered sugar.
9️⃣ Second coating
Once completely cooled, roll again in powdered sugar for the classic “snowball” look.
💡 Pro Tips
- Finely chop nuts for smoother texture.
- Don’t overbake — they should not brown on top.
- Double-roll in powdered sugar for the prettiest finish.
- Store in airtight container up to 1 week.
- Freeze up to 3 months.
✨ Flavor Variations
- Almond extract instead of vanilla
- Toast the nuts for deeper flavor
- Add mini chocolate chips
- Add lemon zest for a bright twist
If you’d like, I can also share:
- A gluten-free version
- A keto/low-carb version
- A no-nuts version
- Or a chocolate snowball variation 🍫
