Snowball Cookie Recipe - Walnut Snowball Cookies | Hank Shaw (2024)

Home | Sweet Things | Black Walnut Snowball Cookies

5 from 4 votes

By Hank Shaw

December 12, 2012 | Updated May 22, 2020

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Snowball Cookie Recipe - Walnut Snowball Cookies | Hank Shaw (2)

I grew up with this snowball cookie recipe. Now you should know thatI am not normally a cookie eater, but around Christmastime I make an exception, especially for snowballs.

Mexican wedding cakes, Russian teacakes, whatever you call them, these were my favorite Christmas cookie when I was growing up. Mom’s original recipe had regular walnuts and vanilla extract. This recipe is my adult, “I’m a forager” version that uses wild black walnuts, orange flower water and a little Grand Marnier.

Orange and walnut work well together, and the combination with the black walnuts — a diamond of a nut that makes regular walnuts feel like rhinestones — and the orange flower water, plus the softness of the powdered sugar all make for a luxurious bite. They actually feel cooling in your mouth. I defy you to eat just one.

Make them in one-bite balls, as these cookies are crumbly. Oh, and while this is a small snowball cookie recipe, fit for two people, it scales up perfectly to at least four times, so you can make enough to give as gifts. Once made, these cookies will keep at room temperature in a covered container for a few days.

Many supermarkets sell black walnuts, and you can buy them online, too. Orange flower water is sold in the spice section of supermarkets, but if you can’t find it, you can skip it.

5 from 4 votes

Snowball Cookies with Black Walnuts

You can buy black walnuts in many supermarkets. Or you can use regular walnuts, but they are not as good as the wild ones for this kind of recipe. Using cake flour improves the texture of these cookies, but you can certainly use all-purpose; my mum does.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 cookies

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cake or all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped black walnuts
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons orange flower water or vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons water or Grand Marnier
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 sticks of butter (1/4 pound), cut into small pieces
  • Powdered sugar for dusting, about 1 cup

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix all the ingredients except the powdered sugar in a large bowl. Mix with your clean hands, mashing the dry ingredients with the butter until you get a mixture that looks like lumpy meal.

  • Form the dough into little balls the size of a walnut and place on an ungreased sheet pan. Bake for 18 minutes. Take the cookies out and let them cool for 5 minutes or so. After they are cool enough to handle but still warm, roll them in the powdered sugar and set aside on a rack to cool. Then, when they are totally cool, roll them in powdered sugar one more time.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
American Recipes, Appetizers and Snacks, Featured, Foraging, Recipe, Sweet Things

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Snowball Cookie Recipe - Walnut Snowball Cookies | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

Why are my snowball cookies spreading? ›

If you found your cookies to spread too much in the oven, there are a host of things that can cause this. Your butter could be too warm. You may have improperly measured the flour or the sugar (use that scoop and level method!). You could have placed the dough balls on a sheet pan that was warm.

How long can you store snowball cookies? ›

How Long Do Pecan Snowball Cookies Last? Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Freeze for up to three months for longer storage.

What are snow cookies made of? ›

Snowballs, a.k.a. Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies, are melt-in-your-mouth cookies made with staple ingredients: butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, flour, finely chopped nuts, and salt.

Why did my snowball cookies flatten in the oven? ›

Snowball Cookie Tips

If your cookies go flat, check the oven temperature. An oven temperature that's too low can result in your cookies spreading out more. Butter that's too soft or melted can also lead to flat cookies.

Why is my snowball cookie dough crumbly? ›

If you think your cookie dough is off, you may not have enough liquid in the recipe. Consider adding a touch more liquid such as melted butter, egg yolks, or a teaspoon of water. Add a teeny bit and see if that helps. Add more as needed until the dough holds together and is scoop-able.

Does freezing cookies keep them fresh? ›

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months.

Which nuts are best for cookies? ›

Walnuts have a mild, buttery flavor that makes them perfect for baking into cookies and cakes. They have a high oil content, so they tend to toast much faster than other varieties. Because of this, it's best to use raw walnuts to prevent them from burning during the baking process.

Can you freeze cookies that are rolled in powdered sugar? ›

You can freeze filled cookies, such as thumbprint cookies and cookies that are coated in powdered sugar, such as Mexican wedding cookies either after they are baked or freeze the cookie dough. If you're freezing the baked cookies, wait to fill them or roll in powdered sugar until you're ready to serve.

What are penguin cookies? ›

These adorable treats are enough to bring out the kid in anyone. The classic Oreo® is covered in rich white and milk chocolate and carefully decorated to look like an adorable penguin. Absolutely the cutest way to enjoy milk and cookies, and they make a memorable dessert or holiday gift for the kid in all of us.

What are Walmart sugar cookies made of? ›

SUGAR, ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), MARGARINE (PALM OIL, WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, MONOAND DIGLYCERIDES, ANNATTO [COLOR], CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (PRESERVATIVE], ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, VITAMIN A PALMITATE), WATER, EGGS, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF ...

How much sugar is in a snowball cookie? ›

Trader Joe's
Nutrition Facts
How many net carbs are in Snowball Cookies? Amount of net carbs in Snowball Cookies: Net carbs 25g-
How much sugar is in Snowball Cookies? Amount of sugar in Snowball Cookies: Sugar 17g-
How much fiber is in Snowball Cookies? Amount of fiber in Snowball Cookies: Fiber 0g0%
17 more rows

How many calories are in one snowball cookie? ›

Joma Bakery Cafe Snowball Cookie (1 cookie) contains 6.3g total carbs, 5.9g net carbs, 5g fat, 1.2g protein, and 74 calories.

What are the unhealthy nutrients in cookies? ›

Cookies tend to be high in refined sugar and saturated fats. They're generally considered unhealthy, and eating them often can be a risk factor for developing type II diabetes, obesity and Alzheimers.

How do you keep Christmas cookies from spreading? ›

1) Don't grease your baking pan — line it instead

“For the best results, choose a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to line your pan,” Dawn recommends. “Simply greasing your pan — basically adding fat to it — will encourage your cookies to spread.” (Check out our side-by-side test baking to see for yourself.)

How do you fix spreading cookies? ›

If this happens, put the dough into the refrigerator until it is well chilled, usually about 1 to 2 hours. Another possible fix is to add some additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is slightly stiffer and doesn't spread.

Why are my cookies spreading out? ›

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

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