Chocolate snowball cookies are cocoa shortbread balls made with butter, powdered sugar, flour, and cocoa powder, with no eggs, then rolled twice in powdered sugar. You need about 20 minutes to make the dough and 12 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven, and one batch gives about 30 cookies.
They are tender and a little crumbly, more like a chocolate Mexican wedding cookie than a brownie. Chopped pecans or walnuts and mini chocolate chips are optional. What decides how they look? The timing of the two sugar rolls.
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The dough is 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix-ins are 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, both optional.
There is no egg and no baking soda or powder. Nothing makes the dough puff or spread, so each ball bakes up round and keeps that short, sandy bite. Powdered sugar dissolves into the butter faster than granulated, which is why the inside stays fine and smooth instead of crisp.
Spoon the flour into the cup and level it. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour, and the dough turns too dry to roll. Chop the nuts fine too. Big pieces split the balls apart.
Snowball Cookies vs Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
They look alike on a cookie tray, both dark and white, but the doughs are different. Chocolate crinkle cookies have eggs and baking powder, so they spread, crack open as they rise, and taste fudgy, almost like a brownie. Chocolate snowballs are a shortbread: no egg, no leavening, dense and melt-away, with a thick coat of sugar added after baking.
Want chewy and fudgy? Bake crinkles. Choose snowballs if you want a cookie that keeps for days, travels well in a tin, and freezes without changing texture.
Shaping, Baking and the Two Sugar Rolls
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Beat the butter and powdered sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla. Whisk the flour, cocoa, and salt in another bowl and add it on low speed, only until no dry flour shows. Stir in the nuts and chips if you are using them.
Roll 1 tablespoon of dough at a time into a smooth ball between your palms and set them 1 inch apart. Kids are good at this part, and at the sugar rolling.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let them sit on the sheet for 5 minutes, then roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar and move it to a rack. When they are completely cool, roll them again. That is it. The first coat melts slightly and sticks; the second one stays white and thick.
Reading Doneness on a Dark Cookie
Color tells you nothing here. Look for tops that turn dry and matte, edges that are set, and bottoms that are just starting to brown when you lift one. The middle should still feel soft. Pulled at that point, they firm up on the sheet. If they already feel firm in the oven, they will cool dry and dusty.
When the Dough or the Coating Goes Wrong
- Dough is too crumbly to roll: the butter was cold or the flour was packed. Work it with your hands for a minute; the warmth brings it together. If it still cracks, knead in 1 teaspoon of milk.
- Dough is soft and sticky: the butter was too warm or the kitchen is hot. Chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling.
- Cookies spread or have flat bottoms: same cause, soft butter. Chill the shaped balls on the sheet for 15 minutes before baking the next batch.
- Sugar melted into a gray paste: the cookies were rolled straight out of the oven. Wait the full 5 minutes.
- Sugar falls off: they were rolled when already cold. Do the first roll warm, the second cold.
Baking Snowballs Ahead for Christmas
These keep for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container, so you can bake them the weekend before a party. Add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar before serving if the coat looks thin.
For a longer head start, freeze them. Bake, give them the first warm sugar roll, cool, and freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the closed container so condensation does not soak the sugar, then do the second roll. You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls on a tray, bag them, and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
They pack well because they are small and sturdy. A few ideas for tins and boxes are in my Christmas cookie packaging ideas, and for the rest of the tray, look through these Christmas cookie recipes.
Coffee, Milk or Port?
Strong coffee or espresso balances the sugar coat. Cold milk is the simple choice for kids, and a mug of homemade hot chocolate doubles down on the cocoa. For an after-dinner tray, a small glass of port or amaretto goes well, and amaretto picks up the nuts if you added them.
Snowball Cookie Questions
Can I make chocolate chip snowball cookies?
Yes. The recipe already allows 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Use minis, since regular chips make the balls lumpy and hard to roll.
Can I use almonds instead of pecans?
Yes, use 1 cup finely chopped almonds in place of the pecans or walnuts. For a jam-filled almond version, see my raspberry filled almond snowball cookies.
How do I make chocolate kiss snowball cookies?
Flatten a tablespoon of dough, wrap it around an unwrapped chocolate kiss, and roll it smooth so no chocolate shows. The cookies come out a little bigger, so they usually need the full 15 minutes.
Are these the same as chocolate meatball cookies?
No. Chocolate meatball cookies are an Italian spiced cookie, usually with cinnamon and cloves and a thin glaze. These are a buttery shortbread with no spice and a powdered sugar coat.
Can I make them without nuts?
Yes. Leave the nuts out and nothing else changes. For other flavors in the same family, try mint chocolate chip snowball cookies or peppermint snowball cookies.
Classic Chocolate Snowball Cookies
These chocolate snowball cookies are tender cocoa shortbread balls made with butter, powdered sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and vanilla, with no eggs, then rolled twice in powdered sugar. The dough takes about 20 minutes, the cookies bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 350°F, and one batch makes about 30 cookies. With no egg or leavening, the balls stay round and crumbly-soft; roll them once warm and again when cool for a thick white coat. Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or mini chocolate chips, or leave them plain. They are a good Christmas cookie for tins, gift boxes, and cookie trays. Store for 5 days at room temperature or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened – Try Kerrygold Butter for premium flavor and texture.
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus extra for rolling) – Domino Confectioners’ Sugar is my go-to for smooth coatings.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour – King Arthur Flour delivers consistent, high-quality results.
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder – Ghirardelli Premium Cocoa Powder is perfect for rich chocolate notes.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
-
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a large mixing bowl, use a stand or hand mixer to beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract until well combined.
- MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
- COMBINE WET AND DRY: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- ADD MIX-INS: Stir in the chopped nuts and mini chocolate chips, if using, until evenly incorporated into the dough.
- SHAPE THE COOKIES: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a smooth ball between your palms. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- BAKE: Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the bottoms are just beginning to brown. The cookies should remain soft inside. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- ROLL IN POWDERED SUGAR: While still warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar to coat. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, roll them in powdered sugar again for a thick, snowy finish.
Notes
Spoon and level the flour. Packed flour makes the dough too crumbly to roll; if that happens, work it with your hands or add 1 teaspoon of milk.
If the kitchen is warm and the dough feels soft, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes so the cookies do not spread.
Wait 5 minutes before the first sugar roll. Rolled straight from the oven, the sugar melts into a paste; rolled cold, it will not stick. The second roll goes on once they are completely cool.
On cocoa dough, judge doneness by dry, matte tops and set edges rather than color.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To make ahead, freeze after the first sugar roll for up to 3 months, thaw in the closed container, and roll again before serving.
The nuts and chocolate chips are optional.
Nutrition Information
Yield
30Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 216Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 18mgSodium 38mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 2gSugar 7gProtein 3g
Could you use mini smarties inside?
Hello Vicky! Yes, you can absolutely use mini Smarties inside the Chocolate Snowball Cookies. It sounds like fun to add a pop of color and extra crunch! Just make sure to fold them into the dough gently to avoid crushing them. Enjoy baking!
Hi – these look great! Can they be baked and frozen for a month or so? Thanks!
Hi Shelly,
Great question! Yes, you can bake and freeze Classic Chocolate Snowball Cookies for about a month. Once they’ve cooled completely, place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. If you’re rolling them in powdered sugar, do a light initial coating before freezing and a fresh dusting after thawing to refresh their look.
Enjoy baking! 😊
Hello, wondering if you can make the dough and keep in fridge for 24 hours before baking?
Hi Katie! Yes, you can absolutely make the dough ahead and chill it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to soften slightly, so it’s easier to scoop and shape into balls. Let me know how it turns out for you! 😊