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Hazelnut Snowball Cookies

These Hazelnut Snowball Cookies are the perfect Holiday Cookie Recipe. A soft, nutty and buttery melt in your mouth sweet treat. Everyone will love these.

snowball cookies in a glass bowlHazelnut Snowball Cookies

Yes we are coming into that Season again! Christmas Cookie baking days. I have wonderful memories of coming home from school and seeing pans of Christmas Cookies baked and unbaked on every available space in the kitchen.

She would make her cookies a couple of months in advance and then she would freeze them. There are so many cookies that can be Frozen for the holidays and they are just as good or better than freshly baked.

These Hazelnut Snowball Cookies are based on a cookie my mother used to bake. I adjusted the recipe a bit so that they would hold up a bit better instead of flattening out. It worked perfectly.

a broken snowball cookie with whole cookies in a glass bowl

How to make Hazelnut Snowball Cookies

  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and finely chopped hazelnuts.

whisking the dry ingredients in a blue bowl for snowball cookies

  • Then add the butter and vanilla.

add ing the butter and vanilla to the dry ingredients in a blue bowl for snowball cookies

  • Start to bring the dough together with a fork.

mixing the dough with a fork for snowball cookies

  • Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead to form a dough.
  • Wrap it in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

forming the dough into a ball, wrapping in plastic wrap to refrigerate for snowball cookies

  • Roll the dough into small balls (a little smaller than golf ball size), place on prepared cookie sheets, refrigerate while the oven is pre-heating.

forming small balls of snowball cookies before baking

  • Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes.
  • Let them sit for about 1-2 minutes, while the cookies are still quite warm and roll in sifted icing sugar.
  • Let cool and then roll again in the icing sugar and serve.

snowball cookies in a glass bowl with christmas lights on

Can I use other nuts?

I use hazelnuts because they are very popular in Italy, but if you prefer you can use finely chopped walnuts, almonds or even pecans if you prefer.

How to store Snowball Cookies

These cookies should be stored in an airtight container and kept in a cool dry area. They will keep for about 4-5 days.

The dough can also be made in advance, be sure to wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-5 days then bake. Or you could even freeze the dough to make the cookies later.

Thaw the frozen cookie dough in the fridge for a few hours before forming into balls and baking.

snowball cookies in a glass bowl

How to freeze Snowball Cookies

Freeze the baked cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag. They will keep  for up to three months in the freezer.

Although I have to tell you these Hazelnut Snowball Cookies never made it to the freezer, they were gone in minutes. I guess that means I will just have to make more. Enjoy!

snowball cookies up  close

snowball cookies in a glass bowl with christmas lights on

Hazelnut Snowball Cookies

Rosemary Molloy
An easy delicious Christmas melt in your mouth Christmas cookie recipe, the perfect simple yummy cookie.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Christmas Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20 cookies
Calories 94 kcal

Equipment

  • 1-2 cookie sheets

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour (146 grams)
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar (30 grams)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts (or walnuts, pecans or almonds) (60 grams)
  • 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)* (110 grams)

*If you use unsalted butter then add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

    EXTRAS

    • 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar / icing sugar for rolling

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and hazelnuts, add butter and vanilla. Start to bring together with a fork, then move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead to form a dough. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours.
    • Roll dough into small balls (a little smaller than golf ball size), place on cookie sheets. And refrigerate while oven is pre-heating.
    • Pre-heat oven to 350° (180C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
    • Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Let sit about 1-2 minutes (while the cookies are still quite warm) then roll in sifted icing sugar. Let cool and then roll again in the icing sugar. Serve and Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    This can also be done in a stand up mixer or food processor. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

    Updated from November 22, 2015.

     

    Hazelnut Snowball Cookies, an easy delicious Christmas melt in your mouth Christmas cookie recipe, the perfect simple yummy cookie.|anitalianinmykitchen.com

     

    26 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      I’ve just finished baking these. We use walnuts instead of hazel nuts. My favorite cookie of all time. And they look beautiful on the Christmas cookie plate.

    2. 3 stars
      I followed the recipe exactly and to the gram.
      I rolled them into balls put them back in the fridge, baked them and they went completely flat and ran into each other.
      I have no idea why and I’ma good baker.
      They are very tasty although not how they are supposed to look.

      1. Hi Susan, I think it was the flour you used. You need a higher protein flour (all purpose) with at least 11% protein or cookies will spread. Sorry it didn’t work out.

        1. I used an all purpose flour, specifically for cakes and biscuits so it’s not the flour,
          They rolled very well and they looked just like yours, they were 18 grams each.
          Never mind, they tasted nice.

    3. Hi Rosemary..thank you for this recipe, they look so good.! I have one question:i have ground hazelnuts not finely chopped –should I adjust the measurement for the nuts or flour (put less ,put more?) Thank you

      1. Hi Dana, I made ones similar to these once using ground instead of finely chopped and it didn’t work for me. The cookies spread too much, but it could have been that my flour was too wet. You can try, I would would start with 1/3 cup and see how the dough is, if its too wet then add a bit more, too dry then add a little butter. Let me know how it goes. Make half the recipe and see how it goes.

    4. 3 stars
      I used exact measurements (by weight) and after 2 hours in the fridge, the ball just crumbled when I tried to roll into balls. I then added about 1/4 cup more melted butter and mixed in my stand mixer. I have now put the ball back into the fridge for about 1/2 hour and hope that it will be easier to roll when I try again. Not sure if anyone else had this problem, but would like to know why you did not recommend creaming the butter and then adding in the ingredients in a stand mixer. As mentioned, I was barely able to get it to shape into a ball the first time as it was very dry and crumbly. I will leave another comment once I have cooked the balls.

        1. Hi Stefanie, I actually got my daughters to make a video of this recipe and you have to firmly knead the dough or you can use a food processor or mixer to bring it together, if you find it still won’t then add a little extra butter. Hope that helps.

    5. Hi, Rosemary,
      Just wondering if these could be formed to be chunkier and taller, and still bake through. Thank you.

    6. You probably know this but these cookies go by many names – Italian Wedding Cookies. Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes. They are delicious and easy to make. The dough comes together very well in a stand mixer with a flat beater. Also must be careful not to over bake as they are fragile and crumble. Thanks for all your recipes.

      1. Hi Pamela, thanks yes I do:) and whatever you call them they are sooo good. Thanks glad you enjoy the recipes. Have a great week.

    7. If I am making these to freeze ahead, should I roll them in the first coating of powdered sugar, freeze, then roll again in PS before serving? OR, just freeze after cooling without rolling in powdered sugar?

      1. Hi Susan, I have no idea since I really don’t bake very much with almond flour, what about using a gluten free flour (an all purpose substitute) instead? If you try it, let me know.

    8. These look so yummy. I think we made something like this when I was young, but they had walnuts in them. Pinning these.
      Bev

      1. Hi Beverly, thanks, I think my Mom used walnuts too, although my family prefer hazelnuts. Thanks for pinning. Have a great day.

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