Snowball Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes) (Buttery, Powdery, Melt-in-Your-Mouth)

Snowball cookies are buttery, nutty shortbread balls rolled in powdered sugar until they look like little snowballs, and they melt in your mouth the moment you bite into one. Also known as Russian tea cakes, they are made from just a handful of pantry ingredients: butter, flour, pecans, and sugar. What I love most about them is how simple the dough is and how fancy the result looks. There is no rolling pin, no cookie cutter, and no decorating. You roll the dough into balls, bake them until they are just set, and roll them twice in powdered sugar. They are the cookie I reach for first when the holiday baking starts, because one batch makes 36 cookies and the tin is always empty by the end of the week.

Why You’ll Love This Snowball Cookies

• They melt in your mouth. The high butter content and finely chopped pecans give them a tender, crumbly bite that is impossible to stop at one.
• Only six ingredients in the dough, and every one of them is probably in your kitchen already.
• No mixer tricks or cookie cutters. You mix, roll, bake, and dust — that is the whole job.
• They look like snowballs, so they are perfect for Christmas cookie trays, gift boxes, and cookie swaps.
• They keep for a week and freeze beautifully, so you can bake them well ahead of the holidays.

Key Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, 1 cup (227 g), softened — Butter is the star here, so use real butter and let it soften on the counter first. Swap: salted butter works too, just leave out the added salt.
• Powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (60 g), in the dough — Powdered sugar keeps the cookies tender in a way granulated sugar cannot. Swap: do not swap in granulated sugar; the texture will turn crunchy instead of melt-in-your-mouth.
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon — Adds warmth behind the butter and nuts. Swap: 1/2 teaspoon almond extract gives them a marzipan-like note.
• All-purpose flour, 2 cups (250 g) — Gives the cookies their structure while staying delicate. Swap: a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend works, though the cookies will be slightly more crumbly.
• Finely chopped pecans, 1 cup (120 g) — Pecans are classic, and their buttery flavor is what makes these cookies taste like the holidays. Swap: walnuts are the traditional Russian tea cake nut, and hazelnuts work too.
• Salt, 1/4 teaspoon — Sharpens the butter and nut flavors. Swap: leave it out if you use salted butter.
• Powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 g), for rolling — This is the snowy coat, applied twice. Swap: a mix of powdered sugar and a little cornstarch stays whiter for longer on the shelf.

How to Make Snowball Cookies

1. Beat the softened butter with the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
2. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Fold in the finely chopped pecans with a spatula. The dough will be soft but should hold together when you squeeze it.
3. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 30 minutes. This keeps the cookies from spreading flat in the oven and makes the dough easy to roll.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, about 36 in total, and place them 1 inch apart on the sheets.
5. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops look set and pale. The cookies should not brown on top.
6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll each warm cookie gently in powdered sugar until coated. Let them cool completely, then roll them a second time for a thick, snowy finish.

Success Tips

• Chop the pecans finely. Big pieces make the dough hard to roll and the cookies can crack apart in the oven.
• Do not skip the chill. Warm dough spreads, and these cookies should stay round and puffy like little snowballs.
• Roll them twice. The first warm roll melts a little sugar into the surface, and the second cool roll is what gives the thick white coat.
• Pull them out while they still look pale. They set as they cool, and even a little extra browning changes the delicate flavor.

Variations

• Mexican wedding cookies: Use walnuts instead of pecans and add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough.
• Chocolate snowballs: Replace 1/4 cup (30 g) of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate version.
• Almond snowballs: Use finely chopped almonds and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract instead of vanilla.
• Orange pecan snowballs: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the dough for a bright, citrusy twist.

Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing

Make-ahead: The dough can be chilled for up to 2 days, or rolled into balls and frozen on a tray, then stored in a bag for up to 3 months. Bake frozen balls straight from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes.

Leftovers: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep them in a single layer if you can, so the sugar coat stays neat.

Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then stack them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and re-roll in powdered sugar if the coat has faded.

FAQ

Why are they called Russian tea cakes and snowball cookies?

They are the same cookie with two names. Russian tea cakes is the old name, and snowball cookies describes how they look once they are rolled in powdered sugar. Mexican wedding cookies are a close cousin made with walnuts and cinnamon.

Why did my snowball cookies spread flat?

The dough was probably too warm, or the butter was too soft. Chill the dough for the full 30 minutes, and make sure your butter is softened, not melted. If your kitchen is warm, chill the rolled balls on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before they go in the oven.

Why did my powdered sugar disappear?

Sugar rolled onto warm cookies melts into the surface, which is why the double roll matters. Roll them once while warm, let them cool completely, then roll them again. The second coat stays white and snowy.

Can I make snowball cookies without nuts?

Yes. Leave the nuts out and add an extra 1/4 cup (30 g) of flour so the dough holds together. The cookies will be plainer but still buttery and tender. A nut-free version is handy for school parties and nut allergies.

In Short

• Buttery shortbread balls packed with pecans and rolled twice in powdered sugar.
• Six ingredients, one bowl, and no cookie cutters.
• Makes 36 cookies that keep for a week and freeze beautifully.
• A holiday classic that looks like fresh snow on a cookie tray.

Have you made this recipe? Leave a comment and a star rating below — I would love to hear how it turned out for you.

Photo credit: Melissa Huntsman via Pexels.