Pass the Snowball cookies, please.
Notice we said, “Pass the cookies” and not, “We’’ll pass on the cookies”. There’s a big difference there. These snowball cookies are gluten-free and egg-free and can easily be made dairy-free so that you, or those you love who may have a food allergy, can enjoy one of the sweetest (pun intended) holiday traditions: making and sharing cookies. You may know these popular cookies by the name of Russian Tea Cakes or Wedding Tea Cakes. Since there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut answer as to what differentiates these cookies from one another, we’ve taken to calling them Pecan Snowball Cookies. We know that no matter what name you call them, you’ll find our gluten-free version to be delicious and the perfect addition to a holiday cookie tray or your next cup of coffee or tea.
Ingredients for Snowball Cookies
Yep, that’s it! It only takes six ingredients to make these classic Snowball Cookies. Here’s what you need to gather:
Pecans – you can use pecan halves or pieces, as they will get ground finely Butter – we prefer unsalted butter; to make these cookies dairy-free and/or vegan, substitute vegan or plant-based butterPure vanilla extract – good quality vanilla is a splurge, but worth it, since the vanilla flavor really comes through. It’s especially noticeable in recipes with just a few ingredients, like these snowball cookiesGluten-free flour blend – We recommend (and test all of our recipes with) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. If you don’t need this snowball cookie recipe to be gluten-free, you can use an equal amount of unbleached all-purpose flourPowdered sugar – this is what makes the “snow” on these snowball cookiesSalt
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to make Snowball cookies
Here are the 6 basic steps to make these Russian Tea Cake cookies today:
Good source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium which are minerals that play a role in lowering blood pressure Rich source of monounsaturated fats which are important for lowering LDL cholesterol levels Contain 19 vitamins and minerals A 1-ounce serving (28 grams) provides 3 grams of fiber to support optimal gut-health
Chop the nuts: Place the pecans in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until half of the nuts are very finely chopped. Mix the cookie dough: Cream together the butter and vanilla using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add the flour, powdered sugar, salt, and pecans.Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with a lightly damp towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll the dough into balls: Remove the dough from fridge and roll it into 28-30 balls (slightly smaller than a golf ball).Bake the cookies: Place 14-15 balls on each of two large rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Bake until the balls are set, dry to the touch, and lightly brown on the bottoms.Add the “snow”: Roll the cookies in powdered sugar, then allow them to cool for several hours. This will ensure the best texture as they are very fragile when removed from the oven but will firm up as they cool. We find that their texture is best the next day!
For the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium, and more per serving.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutes
Make it Dairy-Free
Easily make this Snowball Cookie recipe dairy-free and vegan by replacing the butter with a plant-based stick butter. We like Miyokos Unsalted European Style Cultured Vegan Butter and Good & Gather Organic Plant-Based Buttery Sticks
Make It Gluten-Free
These cookies can easily be gluten-free with a simple flour by swapping the regular flour in this recipe for a gluten-free one-to-one flour blend. We recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Flour Blend for best results.
Make it Vegan
These Snowball cookies can be an easy vegan cookie recipe. Just replace the unsalted butter with a vegan stick butter of choice (see above for our recommendations).
About Snowball Cookies: It’s the Nuts!
So what makes these delectable little bites more of a Russian Tea Cakes recipe instead of Mexican Wedding Cakes? It’s the pecans and they way they’re shaped. Russian Tea Cakes are traditionally made with pecans and rolled into balls while Mexican Wedding Cakes are most often made with almonds and shaped into crescent (moon) shapes. Russian Tea Cakes are a popular cookie enjoyed during the holidays in the U.S. and are sometimes called ‘snowballs’ because of their shape and powdery white sugar coating.
Now it’s your turn to bring back a classic
If you’ve been missing those sweet little bites around the holidays or just want something to make your next cup of tea even better, give these Gluten-Free Russian Tea Cakes a try!
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