Ironically, even though my blog focuses on desserts, I usually avoid overly sweet frostings and cloying cookies. But as the new year approaches, everything changes—these hazelnut snowball cookies are irresistible.
Toasted hazelnuts folded into a buttery cookie dough, formed into generous rounds and rolled in plenty of sifted icing sugar? I expected to make them because they look adorable, but I nearly finished the whole batch. The balance of sweet, salty and nutty is spot on, and they’re so much fun to make. They feel like everything December should be.
Snowball cookies have been around for ages, but I was always wary of diving into a tub of powdered sugar. A pecan version from Sally’s Baking Addiction finally convinced me to try. I halved the original recipe for a smaller batch and cut the sugar in the dough so the powdered coating doesn’t overwhelm the cookie. The result is a winter-worthy treat.
The dough comes together surprisingly fast. Using hazelnuts gives these cookies a Ferrero Rocher–like vibe. I pulsed my hazelnuts in a blender until mostly finely ground, with a few larger pieces remaining. That produced a dough with hazelnut flavor dispersed throughout, rather than only in discrete chunks, which I preferred.
I made large cookies and got ten from the batch; if you roll smaller balls you can make about 15. I found it easier to shape the dough first and then chill it. Cold dough balls go straight into the oven and hold their rounded tops, which is key for snowball cookies.
These cookies are intensely flavorful. They’re not soft and chewy so much as crisp at the edges and crumbly inside—richly buttery with hazelnut in every bite. Best enjoyed in large bites as powdered sugar dusts your face and the floor. Happy festivities!
Hazelnut Snowball Cookies
20 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
10 cookies
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter 115 gms
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/8 cup regular/all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- Sifted icing sugar for rolling (approx 2 cups)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200 C. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and golden-brown. Set aside to cool.
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In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
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Add the flour and mix slowly until just combined.
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Pulse the cooled hazelnuts in a blender, leaving a few larger pieces. Fold the nuts into the dough. (If you prefer chunkier texture, chop the hazelnuts by hand.)
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Use a cookie scoop or your hands to form 10 to 12 equal portions of dough and place them 1 inch apart on a silicone mat–lined or greased baking tray. Chill the shaped dough briefly if you like, then bake at 175 C for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bottoms settle and the tops are lightly browned.
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Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes. Spread sifted icing sugar on a large plate and roll the warm cookies to coat them completely. Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully, then roll in icing sugar once more before serving.
Notes
*You can substitute walnuts, almonds or pecans for the hazelnuts if preferred.
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