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Snowball cookies are an irresistible holiday classic – they’re light, ‘buttery’, & rolled in powdered sugar. Plus, they’re so simple to make with 4 ingredients and one bowl. Now entirely dairy-free + vegan!

completed Easy Snowball Cookies [Various Flavors] on cooling rack

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4-Ingredient Vegan Snowball Cookies Recipe

No matter what you call them; snowball cookies, butterballs, Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes – among other names, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without these ‘buttery’, rich, melt-in-your-mouth vegan snowball cookies on your table, Christmas cookie trays, for gifting, and/or at every festive event.

A traditional snowball cookie recipe is already ‘almost vegan’ and contains no eggs or milk. By swapping dairy butter to non-dairy, this 4-ingredient recipe is so simple to veganize (we can’t believe we haven’t tried it before), and looks and tastes exactly the same.

Essentially, they’re like shortbread but coated in powdered sugar – what’s not to love? Plus, we’ve made our snowball cookies without nuts, but keep reading for several crowd-pleasing flavor variations (like pecan, peppermint, and lemon). Whip up a batch and enjoy them all season with a warm mug of coffee, hot chocolate, or vegan eggnog.

You might also enjoy baking up more batches of vegan holiday cookies, like these easy muddy buddies, vegan chocolate crinkle cookies, easy vegan snickerdoodles, vegan chocolate chip peppermint cookies, and raspberry jam thumbprint cookies.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

ingredients for Easy Snowball Cookies [Various Flavors] on a white surface

To use less refined sugar, use a coffee/spice grinder or a small blender to grind raw cane sugar, coconut sugar, etc., into a powdery consistency. The color will vary.

Snowball Cookies Flavor Variations

  • Pecan snowball cookies: Add about ¾ cup of finely chopped/crushed pecans (raw or toasted). Alternatively, try walnut snowball cookies, almond snowball cookies, or use pistachios/hazelnuts. Boost the nuttiness with a few drops of almond extract.
  • Lemon snowball cookies: Add the zest of one lemon + ½ tsp lemon extract. Lime Or orange would also work.
  • Peppermint snowball cookies: Add 1 tsp peppermint extract + 2-4 crushed candy canes for super festive Christmas snowball cookies.
  • Coconut snowball cookies: Add ½ cup shredded coconut.
  • Cherry snowball cookies: (alone or with nuts) Add a small handful of chopped maraschino cherries.
  • Vegan chocolate chip snowball cookies: Add ½-⅔ cup of mini vegan chocolate chips.
  • Cinnamon: Add ¼-½ tsp – this pairs wonderfully with pecans and/or vegan choc chips.

How to Make Snowball Cookies

process shot showing ingredients in a bowl
process shot of adding ingredients to bowl

Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 400F/200C and place an oven rack one higher than the middle row. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper/a silicone mat. Next, use an electric mixer or stand mixer to cream the vegan butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar into a creamy, fluffy consistency (usually 3-4 minutes).

Step 2: Then, add the flour and salt and mix until fully incorporated.

But be careful not to overwork the cookie dough, or they can become dense.

process shot of forming dough on baking sheet
balls of dough alongside powdered sugar in bowl

Step 3: Working with about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time (using a small cookie scoop will help), roll the dough into balls and transfer them to the baking sheet with about an inch between each one. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies have lightly browned, but the top is still soft.

Step 4: Remove the cookies from the oven and leave them to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before rolling them in powdered sugar. Finally, place them on a cooling rack to fully cool for another hour, then enjoy the delicious vegan snowball cookies!

If the top looks a little raw still, that’s fine. The residual heat will continue to bake them outside of the oven.

Optionally roll them in a second coating of powdered sugar when fully cooled for even more melt-in-the-mouth sweetness.

FAQs

Can I make them gluten-free?

It should be possible to use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s. Don’t use a singular flour like almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour, though, as it won’t work.

Can I prepare the snowball cookie dough in advance?

That should be fine. Simply cover the bowl in plastic wrap to store it in the fridge for up to 3 days OR store it in the freezer (as dough or rolled into balls) for up to 2 months. Leave to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, bring back to room temperature, then continue with the recipe as written.

Can I make snowball cookies without a mixer?

Absolutely – use a whisk instead, then fold in the flour with a silicone spatula or similar tool.

Pro Recipe Tips

  • Measure the flour properly: It’s best to fluff it up in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level the top with the back of a knife. That way, you avoid using too much and ending up with dense cookies.
  • Use room temperature vegan butter: If it’s too warm, the cookies will spread in the oven.
  • For even-sized cookies: It’s best to use a small cookie scoop. Otherwise, they might bake unevenly.
  • Don’t overbake the vegan cookies: They should only just be turning golden brown on the bottom but still soft on top when they’re removed from the oven. The residual heat will get the rest of the job done. If over-baked, they become dry and hard.
  • To make the confectioners’ sugar stick: Dip the vegan snowball cookies once while warm and then again when cooled.
completed Easy Snowball Cookies [Various Flavors] on cooling rack

Storage Instructions

Once fully cooled, store the powdered cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

You can also freeze the vegan snowballs, but it’s best to do so before rolling them in powdered sugar. Flash freeze them on a baking sheet for 2-3 hours (or place them in layers separated by parchment paper), then transfer to a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months.

Leave them to thaw in the fridge or on the counter, roll in powdered sugar, and enjoy.

Easy Snowball Cookies [Various Flavors] in storage container

Easy Snowball Cookies [Various Flavors]

5 from 27 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Cool: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies
completed Easy Snowball Cookies [Various Flavors] on cooling rack
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Snowball cookies are an irresistible holiday classic – they’re light, 'buttery', & rolled in powdered sugar. Plus, they’re so simple to make with 4 ingredients and one bowl. Now entirely dairy-free + vegan!

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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup vegan butter unsalted, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup powdered sugar, plus extra for coating
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and move one of the oven racks to one level higher than the middle level. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the vegan butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until very fully and creamy. About 3 to 4 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt.
  • Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the vegan butter and mix well until fully incorporated.
  • Form dough into two tablespoons of dough in your hand. Roll them into a ball and set them on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are lightly browned, but the top is still soft and feels a bit raw.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven and set the baking sheet on a cooling rack. Allow it to sit on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes. One by one, gently roll the cookies in a more powdered sugar. Place the cookies on coolingng rack and allow to cool for 1 hour until fully set.

Notes

  • Measure the flour properly: It’s best to fluff it up in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level the top with the back of a knife. That way, you avoid using too much and ending up with dense cookies.
  • Use room temperature vegan butter: If it’s too warm, the cookies will spread in the oven.
  • For even-sized cookies: It’s best to use a small cookie scoop. Otherwise, they might bake unevenly.
  • Don’t overbake the vegan cookies: They should only just be turning golden brown on the bottom but still soft on top when they’re removed from the oven. The residual heat will get the rest of the job done. If over-baked, they become dry and hard.

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 219mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 719IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Author: Toni Okamoto
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Toni Okamoto

“They say you are what you eat, so I strive to be healthy.
My goal in life is not to be rich or wealthy,
‘Cause true wealth comes from good health and wise ways…
we got to start taking better care of ourselves ” – Dead Prez

More about Toni Okamoto
5 from 27 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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