If you’re searching for a festive, quick, and easy-to-make dessert, this Almond Snowball Cookies Recipe is the holiday treat you need! These buttery, nutty cookies are delicately coated in powdered sugar, giving them their signature "snowball" look and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. I even featured this recipe in my Winnipeg Sun article, Your Ultimate Holiday Cookie Prep Guide, where I shared all my favorite tips and must-try holiday recipes. Perfect for cookie platters, gift boxes, or as a cozy snack alongside your morning coffee, these almond cookies are sure to become a festive favorite in your home!
In my family, these cookies are a holiday tradition and a must-have every year. You might know them as Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies, but whatever the name, they’re always a crowd-pleaser. These holiday cookies never last long—each batch seems to disappear from the cookie jar faster than I can fill it!
Recipe Ingredients
- Sliced almonds: Roasted to deepen their nutty flavor and add a light crunch—think of this as their glow-up! Roasting brings out the natural oils and enhances the overall taste of these cookies.
- Slivered almonds: These add a slightly different texture and ensure every bite has a bit of almond goodness.
- Unsalted butter: Provides a rich, creamy base for the cookies. I prefer unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe, giving you that perfect balance of flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Not just for the snowball look—this sugar is the secret to that melt-in-your-mouth texture we all adore. Make sure to have extra for rolling the cookies after baking!
- Almond extract: Just a little goes a long way to give these cookies a bold almond flavor that pairs perfectly with the roasted nuts.
- Vanilla extract: Balances the almond flavor with a touch of warmth and sweetness. A pure vanilla extract will give you the best results.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the cookie dough. It’s what gives these snowballs their delicate, crumbly structure—because nobody wants a flat snowball!
- Salt: Enhances the sweetness and brings out all the flavors. Even a small amount can make a big difference in how these cookies taste.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to make the best Almond Snowball Cookies Recipe that will melt in your mouth with every bite!
Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the sliced and slivered almonds in a single layer for 6 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let them cool completely. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
Step Two: Process the roasted almonds in a food processor for about 30 seconds until finely ground.
Step Three: Using a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the almond extract and powdered sugar, mixing well.
Step Four: Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture in two batches, mixing until just combined. Stir in the ground almonds.
Step Five: Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Step Six: Bake at 325°F for 12–15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Step Seven: Roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar and place on wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled, roll them in powdered sugar again for a full coating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grinding your own roasted almonds provides a fresher, deeper flavor compared to store-bought almond flour. Also we want little pieces of the almonds throughout the cookies which you just cant get from almond flour.
Honestly, there’s no difference! They’re all the same delightful cookie, just with different names depending on where you’re from or what you grew up calling them. No matter the name, they’re always a hit!
Yes, you can omit the nuts and still achieve a delicious cookie. The texture will be slightly different, but they'll still have that classic melt-in-your-mouth taste.
A food processor works best, as it ensures the almonds are ground finely without turning them into almond butter. Pulse in short bursts for even grinding.
Chilling isn’t always necessary for this recipe, but if your kitchen is warm or the dough feels soft, a quick chill can help the cookies hold their shape better during baking.
Expert Tips for Making Almond Snowball Cookies
- Double Coating: Roll cookies in powdered sugar once warm and again when cooled for that perfect snowy look.
- Use High-Quality Butter: Ensures a rich, buttery flavor.
- Roast Your Almonds: This extra step brings out a deeper, nuttier taste.
Variations & Pairings
- Not a fan of almonds?: Swap them out for pecans, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, or another nut you love (just skip peanuts—they don’t work well here). Just leave out the almond extract and use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. This simple tweak gives you a deliciously customizable cookie!
- Cinnamon Twist: Add a hint of cinnamon to the powdered sugar for a warm holiday spice.
- Perfect Pairings: Serve these cookies with a warm cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or eggnog for the ultimate cozy treat.
Making Ahead, Storing & Freezing
Make ahead: The dough can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge.
Storing: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Freezing Instructions:
These cookies freeze beautifully, making them perfect for prepping ahead! Here’s how:
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Store fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: Scoop the dough into balls and place them on a small baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer the frozen dough balls to a ziplock bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Baking Frozen Dough: Bake the frozen cookie dough balls straight from the freezer—just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time. Or, let them thaw in the fridge and bake as instructed.
This way, you’ll always have fresh almond snowball cookies ready to go whenever you need them!
If you love festive cookies, don’t miss my Ginger Molasses Cookies or Holiday Sugar Cookies—they’re perfect for your holiday spread. Also, if you enjoyed this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! Leaving a quick comment and a 5-star rating below means so much to me and helps other home cooks discover and trust my recipes. Thank you for stopping by—I’m so happy you’re here!
Almond Snowball Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds roasted
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds roasted
- 1 cup butter
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar + more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake sliced and slivered almonds in a single layer in a small to medium shallow pan for 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Process almonds: Process sliced and slivered almonds in a food processor for 30 seconds or until finely ground.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy for about 2 minutes. Gradually add almond extract, pure vanilla extract, and 1 cup powdered sugar, mixing well until fully combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add flour and salt to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing until just combined after each addition. Stir in the toasted almonds by hand.
- Shape cookies: Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. (I baked mine for 14 minutes but every oven is different.)
- First sugar coating: Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Gently roll them in the confectioners’ sugar to coat the cookie completely. Shake off any excess sugar and place the cookies on wire racks to cool completely. (Note: The sugar may melt and become slightly sticky, which is normal.)
- Final sugar coating: Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll them in the confectioners’ sugar again. This is when the sugar will really stick. Shake off any excess, and the cookies are ready to eat!
- Cookies stay fresh when covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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