These almond snowball cookies just melt in your mouth. They are perfect Christmas cookies and look like darling little snowballs. They remind me of these Russian Tea Cakes but these snowball cookies have more of a melting consistency. Get it? Melting? Hee hee.
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The almond paired with orange zest is a delicious and highly irresistible combination. Here’s the story behind these: I bought tons of almond meal/flour for the endless macaron testing that I did and had some leftover so I decided to try it in these snowball cookies. And WOW!!!
These are melt-in-your-mouth good and the best snowball cookies I’ve ever had!
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PIN Snowball Cookies HERE to Save for Christmas
Can Snowball Cookies be Frozen?
This snowball cookie recipe freezes really well so they are a make-ahead cookie #SCORE!! Make them fully including powdered sugar and just dust with fresh powdered sugar once they are thawed and sitting on your cookie platter. They’ll taste just as good as the day you made them!
Ingredients for Snowball Cookies:
- We used store-bought almond meal/flour. The package should say either “Extra Fine Almond Meal” Or “Almond Flour”. You can make your own almond flour using blanched almonds.
- Use unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Do not skip the oranze zest. A little goes a long way in both flavor and aroma.
- For the cookies to form correctly, dry ingredients must be measured correctly.
How to make Snowball Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 1 extra large (I LOVE that I can fit them all on this 3/4 size cookie sheet) or use 2 regular cookie sheets with parchment paper.
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (highly recommend this mixer) fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together 2 sticks butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla, until smooth.
2. Switch to the paddle attachment and gradually mix in 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Once well incorporated, add 1 cup almond meal and 1/2 Tbsp orange zest and mix until well incorporated.
The dough stuck slightly to the spatula but not at all to my hands. If very sticky, add 1-2 Tbsp more flour (I didn’t need to).
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (this small ice cream scoop made it so easy and exact!) and place them on prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. You should get 38-40 cookies.
Don’t make them too large or they won’t bake through properly. Bake 11-13 min, or until bottoms are golden and edges are barely golden (I bake 11 min for softer cookies). Remove from baking sheet and let cool 5 minutes.
4. Fill a bowl with powdered sugar and roll the cookies in it while they are still warm (not hot, or they make the powdered sugar gummy). Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
It’s best on a wire rack so the powder sugar doesn’t become moist but they will still be ok if they cool on the parchment paper.
5. Once cookies are at room temperature, roll in powdered sugar again or dust the tops with a mini sieve (here’s the one in my picture) to give them that snowy look.
Watch How to Make Snowball Cookies:
We love these tea cookies year round (not just for the holidays), but they sure are a treat and look beautiful on a Christmas cookie platter!
More Christmas Cookie Recipes:
- Russian Tea Cakes – crumbly, buttery perfection
- Shell Cookies – laced with meringue and walnuts
- Baklava – the ultimate holiday treat!
- Jeweled Biscotti – perfect for holiday gifting
- Angel Wing Cookies – Polish Chrusciki
Almond Snowball Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb unsalted butter, (16 Tbsp) softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar , plus 1 1/2 cups more for rolling cookies
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *measured correctly
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, I used fine sea salt
- 1 cup almond flour, or fine almond meal
- 1/2 Tbsp orange zest, from 1 medium orange
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 3/4 size cookie sheet or 2 regular cookie sheets with parchment paper.
How to Make Snowball Cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream together 1/2 lb butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla, until smooth.
- Switch to paddle attachment and gradually mix in 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Once incorporated, add 1 cup almond meal and 1/2 Tbsp orange zest and mix until well blended. The dough will stick slightly to the spatula but not to finger tips. If very sticky, add 1-2 Tbsp more flour.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls (a small ice cream scoop makes it easy and exact). Place them on prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. You should get 38-40 cookies. Don't make them too large or they won't bake through properly. Bake 11-13 min, or until bottoms are golden and edges are barely golden (I bake 11 min for softer cookies). Remove from baking sheet and cool 5 min.
- Fill a bowl with powdered sugar and roll the cookies in it while they are still warm (not hot). Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cookies are at room temp, roll in powdered sugar again or dust the tops with a mini sieve for a snowy look.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I hope you are having a Merry Christmas season. Is your tree up? Are you done shopping? Did you order Christmas cards? So many questions!! 🙂
Is it possible to substitute all purpose flour with some kind of gluten free flour? And which one is the best?
Hi Lana, I haven’t tested that so I can’t say for sure but I think it should work. I don’t have much experience with gluten free flours so I can’t recommend a specific brand, but I would suggest using a gluten free flour that is intended for baking.
Made these twice already! They are so delicious and my husband and I love how they just melt in your mouth. Thanks Natasha for another great recipe 🙂
Anna, thank you for such a nice review, I’m glad you like them 😀.
Can these cookies be frozen? IF so would you suggest freezing them without powdered sugar?
Luba, I haven’t tried freezing them, but I think that could work. And yes, freeze them without powdered sugar, otherwise they will turn gummy.
Natasha, ive made these cookies twice and both times the bottoms are burned. I bake them for only 8 min. Followed ur instructions to the t….dont understand what could have happened
Hi Masha, I’ve never had them burn but I’m happy to troubleshoot. Do you keep your oven rack in the center of the oven – if it’s too low and close to the heating element, they would brown faster. Also, are you sure you are setting it to 400˚F and that you are using the regular bake mode and not convection mode (which bakes faster)? Do you know if your oven overheats or have you had the experience with other recipes? I hope one of those answers helps 🙂
Never had a problem before, I always use your cake recipes turn out great. Ill try again later in the weeks. Hubby and son didnt mind the a bit burned buttoms
That is very unusual, but I’m glad they still enjoyed them 🙂
Can u refrigerate this dough before making them?
Also how long will these cookies hold up if made a few days ahead of time?
You can refrigerate the dough before making them if needed. After baking, they stay good for at least 5 days at room temperature in tupperware :).
Same here. Did not even cook the listed time. Are you certain the cookies should bake at 400?
Hi Lanie, I’ve always baked at that temp and time. Are you using the regular bake mode rather than convection? There is the possibility that your oven runs hotter than most. How much earlier did you remove it from the oven? Also, are you baking it in the center of the oven and not too close to the top?
Hey Natasha! I just made these tonight and they are amazing and so easy to make! Ever since I made the Nalisniki from your website I fell in love with cooking & baking. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for the awesome review 🙂
Hi Natasha, I was wondering if I want to make a double batch of these cookies, would I just double all the measurements?
Yes, double everything, but bake them in two batches since you want them to bake in the center of the oven.
Do these freeze well?
I haven’t tried (they’ve been eaten before they got to that stage), but I imagine they would be a good candidate for freezing. I’d put them in an airtight container and freeze.
I remember eating these as a kid! I love them, I can’t wait to make them this year! Pinned!
Don’t you love it when food bring back great memories from childhood 😀 .
Natasha, this recipe couldn’t come at a better time. I opened your website to find a recipe for another type of cookie, since I was invited over to a friend’s house the next day, and this was front and center. I decided to make them since they only took about half hour and I happened to have almond flour. They are the most delicious cookie i’ve tried. I gave some to our neighbor, and she’ll be making them for Thanksgiving too. Plus because this took me so fast to make, I was also able to bake your shortbread cookies with raspberry preserves (which my husband thinks is an even better cookie – differences attract I guess :-)).
My neighbors love anything lemon, is it possible to use lemon zest instead of orange?
Hi Oksana! Thank you so much for your awesome review of the cookies! I’m so happy you loved them :). I’m all smiles reading your message. I think it can be substituted and still taste great. I don’t think they will taste lemony but there will be a hint of lemon 🙂
These are so good! my husband said they are at the top of his list (that’s a very big compliment :)) thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that! That is a huge compliment! Thank you. 🙂
These are the BOMB! We gobbled them up really fast. Thanks for the recipe.
Awesome!!! I’m so happy you loved the cookies 🙂
Hey Natsaha! I tried multiple times searching for the printable “cookie tags” that you meantioned and couldn’t find them with the link….help? 😬
How frustrating! Sorry about that. I will email my contact at BHG and see why the link isn’t pointing to the right spot. Thanks for letting me know!
Hi Cindy, I updated the link. You should see it at the center/top of the page when clicking on this link: http://www.bhg.com/christmas/cookies/?ordersrc=R511BTF1794PD
Sometime try browning the butter in this recipe– also just let that and vanilla be the flavoring. I found my recipe in the early 60’s in a Phoenix newspaper– Snowball Meltaways. I use chopped pecans but I am going to make them with the almond meal also. Thank you for all your hard work — your blog is one of my favorites!
That’s so sweet of you to say. Thank you so much Deloris! 🙂 I really appreciate the tip for browning the butter. I bet that adds some wonderful flavor!
These are the same Russian Tea Cakes which have been made in my and my wife’s family for generations for weddings and bar and bat mitzvah celebrations.
How wonderful! Does your family make them with almonds also?
Yes, they would crush the toasted almonds so they would be like a coarse grain flour.
Oooh I haven’t tried toasted almonds. Thanks Stu!
Hi Natasha just have question why if someone is allergic to almonds can they substatute it with like cocunut? Or what can be used to substatute. Thanks your amazing by the way.
I’ve tried with coconut flakes, but it did not work well, was very blend. Are you able to have walnuts? If so, check out these cookies 🙂 .
Hmm these look very similar to some Xmas cookies my Czech mom makes 🙂 Good memories!
Natasha, did she do anything differently?
I will ask! I have never made them myself. Your photos just look so similar to the cookies she makes, just a different shape.
Wonderful! thank you! 🙂
Natasha, it looks like my mom uses walnuts instead of almonds, but you can use almonds she says. She also does not use any mixers. And no orange zest. Other than that, it’s very similar. Maybe I will put the recipe on my blog before Xmas, I think people would like it. I’d have to translate it from grams so it makes sense for my USA readers.
You should try a little orange zest. It’s not overpowering but subtle and very nice 🙂
These are my absolutely favorite Christmas cookie ever. Here in the Buffalo area, they are called Italian wedding cookies. And they are at every Italian wedding on a side table so I guess that makes sense. We always though put crushed pecans in. But I’ve never used almond flour! I want to try that now. No time like the present to get started =)
Pecans sound great, for years I made them with walnuts but I think I like the almond flour even more. They almost melt in your mouth 😀 .
I can’t believe Christmas is just around the corner! The cookies look so Christmasy and tender!
Thanks Marina 🙂 . I know, it seems like this year just flew by.
These look so festive and delicious! I love holiday baking!! 🙂 What’s the best way to store them and how far in advance can you make them?
I have kept them stored at room temperature in Tupperware for up to a week. They taste just as good on day seven as they did on day one. 🙂
I make them weeks in advance and freeze them. Dust with a little more powdered sugar when they thaw.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Diane!