Name: Nut-Free Snowball Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (, softened); ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (, plus more for rolling); ¼ cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup semi-sweet mini morsels ((optional))

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This snowball cookie is the simplest most gentle cookie around. It is just sweet and soft and melts in your mouth, and (warning) may evoke childhood memories. And this recipe has no nuts, which makes it a sweet holiday treat for anyone with nut allergies. Perfect for a Cookie Swap Party!

Nut-Free Snowball Cookies on a yellow dish.

Snowball Cookies with No Nuts

Most snowball cookie recipes call for finely chopped nuts (such as pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, all kinds of choices), which I’m sure add additional lovely flavor and texture, but not if you are allergic to nuts (as I am). Everyone who tried these felt they would absolutely hold their own in a holiday cookie assort (or alongside a cup of tea, or at a bake sale). And since these days there are a lot of nut allergy issues, it’s nice to find a satisfying nut-free tweak to a classic holiday cookie.

These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Woman grabbing a Nut-Free Snowball Cookie from a wire rack.

Freezing Directions

You can freeze snowball cookies either before or after they are baked.

How to Freeze Unbaked Snowball Cookies

Roll them into balls and then place a zipper-top freezer proof bag on a baking sheet or large plate. Place the rolled balls of dough in the bag in a flat layer. As you seal the bag, make sure to press out any extra air. Transfer the bag with the cookies on the plate or cookie sheet to the freezer, and freeze for several hours until the cookies are solid. You can then just keep them in a bag in the freezer for up to 4 months, or if you want to protect them a bit more, transfer the cookies in the sealed bag to an airtight container.

Defrost the cookies in the refrigerator overnight, and then bring the doughballs to room temperature. Roll them in sugar and bake as directed in the recipe.

How to Freeze Baked Snowball Cookies

Place a zipper-top freezer proof bag on a baking sheet or large plate. After the second rolling in confectioners’ sugar, place the snowball cookies in the bag in a flat layer. As you seal the bag, make sure to press out any extra air. Transfer the bag with the cookies on the plate or cookie sheet to the freezer, and freeze for several hours until the cookies are solid. You can then just keep them in a bag in the freezer for up to 3 months, or if you want to protect them a bit more, transfer the cookies in the sealed bag to an airtight container.

Defrost the cookies in the refrigerator overnight, and bring to room temperature before serving. You will likely want to give them one more roll in confectioners’ sugar before serving, to freshen them up with a nice new dusting of sugar.

Yellow platter of Nut-Free Snowball Cookies and buckeye balls.

How to Make Snowball Cookies

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer beat the butter, ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour in 3 batches, beating each batch until it is fully incorporated. Stir in the morsels, if using.

Shape rounded tablespoons of the dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 to 14 minutes until the still-round cookies are lightly browned. Cool.

Place about ½ cup additional confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll each cooled cookie in the confectioners’ sugar, tap against the side of the bowl to remove any excess sugar

Woman dredging a Nut-Free Snowball Cookie in powdered sugar.

Then place baking on the cooling rack.

Allow the cookies to sit for an hour, then roll each one once more in the confectioners’ sugar.

Nut-Free Snowball Cookies on a wire rack.

What to Serve with Snowball Cookies:

Yellow platter of buckeye balls and Nut-Free Snowball Cookies.

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Nut-Free Snowball Cookies

4.75 from 4 votes

Prep: 10

Cook: 12

Total: 22

Servings: 40 Cookies

These classic cookies are sweet and soft and melt in your mouth (warning; may evoke childhood memories).

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Equipment

Electric Mixer

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened
▢ ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar , plus more for rolling
▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
▢ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1 cup semi-sweet mini morsels (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer beat the butter, ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour in 3 batches, beating each batch until it is fully incorporated. Stir in the morsels, if using.
Shape rounded tablespoons of the dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned (they will still be in ball shape; they should not spread out on the pan). Cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place about ½ cup additional confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll each cooled cookie in the confectioners’ sugar, tap against the side of the bowl to remove any excess sugar, then place baking on the cooling rack. Allow the cookies to sit for an hour, then roll each one once more in the confectioners’ sugar.
These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.