Snowball Cookies

Whether you call them snowballs, Russian tea cakes, or Mexican wedding cookies, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a must for so many people during the holidays. It seems no cookie platter is complete without them. I like to make them with ground pecans, but feel free to substitute ground walnuts or almonds.

This cookie dough is extremely easy to make as long as you start with room temperature butter. Just place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine until no traces of dry flour remain. If you use BeaterBlade attachment, you won’t have to stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl.

Tip: Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to microwave cold butter to soften it - melted butter and softened butter act very different in recipes so just be patient and wait until the butter reaches room temperature naturally.

Use a #60 cookie scoop to portion out the dough.

Place them evenly on a silicone lined half sheet pan and bake as directed below. If you like, roll the dough into balls (I don’t because they roll all over the place).

Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before rolling in confectioner’s sugar.

Tip: I like to store used vanilla bean pods in my confectioner’s sugar. It really improves the flavor.

Just remove the vanilla bean pods from the confectioner’s sugar while you roll the cookies so they don’t get in your way. Replace them when you’re done.

Mmmm… your kitchen is going to smell like vanilla!

Allow the cookies to cool completely and, if you like, give them a 2nd toss in the confectioner’s sugar. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• BeaterBlade https://amzn.to/2DU8STk

• #60 cookie scoop https://amzn.to/3oCcBM7

• silicone baking mat https://amzn.to/367mM4Z

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3oC6rLW

• pure vanilla extract (the good stuff) https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

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Snowball Cookies (aka Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies)

makes 48 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature (70F)

• 1/2 cup (63g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted

• 1 teaspoon (4g) pure vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups (270g) all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup (90g) finely chopped toasted pecans (or walnuts or almonds)

• extra confectioner’s sugar for coating the cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and place rack in center position.

2. Place the first 6 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade or paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until no traces of dry flour remain (if you us a paddle attachment, scrape down sides of bowl as needed).

3. Use a #60 cookie scoop to portion 12 cookies per tray; bake one tray at a time for 8-10 minutes.

4. Remove cookies from oven and allow to rest on tray for 5 minutes before rolling in confectioner’s sugar; return cookies to tray and allow to cool completely before rolling in confectioner’s sugar a second time.

Note

• To toast pecans, place in a 350F oven for 5 minutes; cool completely before using.

More Christmas Cookies:

Coconut Almond Granola

I love cooking big meals when we have company, but after a few days (and many, many dirty dishes), I need a break so it's nice to  have a big batch of granola in the pantry.  This one features dried cherries and sliced almonds, but you can easily switch up the fruit and nuts.  It keeps well too so feel free to make it far in advance.

In a large mixing bowl, combine with oats, almonds, coconut, and sunflower seeds.  You can add the dried fruit now if it's plump - otherwise, hold off until a bit later.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pure maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and salt. 

Pour the maple syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir well.

Stir until all the dry ingredients are coated.

Pour the mixture into a large roasting pan and bake in a preheated 250F oven.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir in the dried fruit if you haven't already.  Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for up to a month.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3gvtV0I

• old fashioned rolled oats https://amzn.to/3ow8VLx

• sweetened flaked coconut https://amzn.to/3gy0KKE

• sliced almonds https://amzn.to/3rBiXx9

• sunflower seeds https://amzn.to/3HKinCY

• pure maple syrup https://amzn.to/2mnDiDO

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/2JpdVuh

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Coconut Almond Granola

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

• 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds

• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

• 1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds

• 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 6 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

• 1/4 cup neutrally flavored oil (canola, safflower, grapeseed, etc)

• 2 tablespoons warm water

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 cup raisins, craisins, dried cherries, or other dried fruit (make sure they taste good)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250F and spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, and sunflower seeds; set aside. Note: if your dried fruit is very plump, you can add it now, otherwise wait until step 5.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, dark brown sugar, oil, water, vanilla, and salt; pour over oat mixture and stir well until completely coated.

4. Pour mix into prepared baking dish and bake in the center of the preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

5. Remove from oven; stir in the raisins and allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for up to a month. Recipe may be doubled.