Nut Free Snowball Cookies

These nut free snowball cookies are a Christmas cookie classic — just without the nuts! They also go by several other names: Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies and kourabiedes. But they’re all basically the same buttery, sugary snowballs of deliciousness. Happy holiday baking!

It’s time to start getting serious about Christmas baking! This year, I’m getting my kids into the holiday baking spirit, too. They’re rolling up their sleeves, putting on their miniature aprons and getting dusty and sticky right along with me. Wheee!

First up, we had to make snowball cookies. These classic shortbread cookies are rolled in powdered sugar, making them look just like little snowballs. So, they’re basically the perfect wintertime holiday cookie! The traditional recipe for snowball cookies includes either chopped walnuts or pecans, but since we’re a nut free family, I experimented with making these without nuts and they were just as delicious!

These cookies go by several names, but they’re all basically the same cookie, so if you’re looking to make nut free Russian tea cakes or nut free Mexican wedding cookies, you’re also in the right place. Or, if you’re Greek, you’d be searching for nut free kourabiedes recipes (although, these traditional Greek Christmas cookies are often crescent shaped instead of snowball shaped).

Anyway, lots of different names, but basically the same amazing cookie.

And, although they’re a Christmas cookie classic, they’re really the perfect sugary, buttery bites to add to cookie trays all year long. So, don’t stop yourself from making these in June, my friends.

Personally, I used to make these with chopped walnuts every year at Christmastime, but had stopped making them once my son was diagnosed with a nut allergy. So, our family is very excited to have them back in the holiday mix — now without the nuts.

Happy Baking and Happy Holidays!

Also, if you’re interested in finding more nut free products and brands, check out our collection of Nut Free Lists, including: Nut Free Granola Bars, Nut Free Candy, Nut Free Chocolate, Nut Free Protein Bars, Nut Free Ice Cream, and more! We are also building out a “Nut Free Near Me” series of city guides.

Special Dietary Notes

Want to make gluten free snowball cookies? Dairy free snowball cookies? Top 8 free snowball cookies? It’s all possible! Luckily, snowball cookies are already egg free. My tips for making these dairy free, soy free and gluten free are:

• Use a gluten free flour like King Arthur’s gluten free flour
• Substitute the butter with a dairy- and/or dairy and soy free margarine, like Earth Balance soy free natural buttery spread

You’d be surprised how easy it is to bake, even if you’re avoiding all of the Top 8 allergens.

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Nut Free Snowball Cookies

Yield: 20 - 25 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

A nut free version of a classic Christmas cookie that's shaped into small "snowballs" and rolled in powdered sugar.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (or margarine for dairy free), softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar + 1/2 cup powdered sugar for coating
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Add butter to stand mixer and beat for 1-2 minutes until soft. Add ½ cup powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
3. Add flour and salt and mix until dough forms.
4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (I like to line mine with parchment paper for easier clean up).
5. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until set (keep an eye on them!).
6. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool for about 5 minutes on wire racks.
7. Place about ½ - ¾ cups of powdered sugar in a bowl and roll warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Then, let cool again and roll in powdered sugar again once completely cooled.

Notes

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Nutrition Information

Yield 25 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 128Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 20mgSodium 7mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 0gSugar 4gProtein 1g

This nutrition label is a product of an online calculator. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.