Vegan Snowball Cookies are festive little holiday cookies that are buttery, full of pecans and rolled in powdered sugar! Made in 1 bowl with 5 ingredients.
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Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes, these little vegan snowball cookies are one of my all time favorites, especially around the holidays.
They are basically a buttery, rich shortbread cookie ball that is coated in powdered sugar. I mean, what could be better?
Tips & Substitutions
- Don’t make the cookies too big. A tablespoon size scoop is just right here.
- Don’t over or under cook the cookies. They are done when they look set and are lightly golden brown on the bottom.
- Gluten free? I haven’t tested it myself, but I bet they would work using a gluten free flour mix. Don’t try to sub almond or coconut flour, it just won’t work.
- Nut free? Feel free to leave out the nuts. You can also swap walnuts for the pecans if desired.
Want more vegan Christmas cookies?
- Vegan Ginger Cookies
- The Best Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Classic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
Vegan Snowball Cookies
Vegan Snowball Cookies are festive little holiday cookies that are buttery, full of pecans and rolled in powdered sugar! Made in 1 bowl with 5 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a hand mixer, cream together the vegan butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla, then add the flour and pecans and beat on low speed until combined.
- Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and roll into balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are slightly brown.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. Place the 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar, then place on a cooling rack, or back on the baking sheet.
- Once completely cooled, roll once more in powdered sugar. Store in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- For the vegan butter, I used Earth Balance brand. I'm sure another brand will work as well, such as Miyoko's or Melt.
- To freeze, bake the cookies but do not roll in powdered sugar. Freeze, then when ready to serve, thaw the cookies and roll in powdered sugar.
- Gluten free: Try using an all purpose gluten free mix. I haven't tried this myself, but it would likely work. Do not sub almond or coconut flour, it will not work.
- Nut free: If you have an allergy, you could make the cookies without any nuts at all. Walnuts work as well as pecans for a change.
Nutrition
Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 334IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
So delicious! A yummy vegan version of my great-nana’s favorite cookie. She called them moon cookies! Nora your recipes are always such a dream Thank you x100.
That’s wonderful to hear, thanks Madi!
Just a quick question, have you every baked with Nucoa Buttery Sticks? Winco did not have the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and I am planning to bake several of your cookie recipes this week! Thought I’d see if you ever tried it. Thanks for the recipes!
I haven’t tried that brand, but I’m sure it will work. I use a variety of brands in all my recipes. Your welcome, hope you enjoy all the cookies!
You just have the best cookies recipes. Hands down. These are sooo good! And simple. First it was your crinkle cookies I made and now these. You will forever be my go to for cookies. You don’t let me down!
Wow, that’s so great! Thanks so much!
Currently trying to avoid eating all of them! They are exactly like I remember. So easy and so good!!!
WOW! I made these with BRM ap gf flour and they spread a bit, but I also had melted butter in my mix. I don’t even have a hand mixer. The crumbly texture was spot on – much like Mexican wedding cookies that I used to love. I agree the earth balance was a bit too salty but that didn’t stop me from inhaling a bunch. Thank you for this wonderfully easy recipe!!
You’re welcome!
Making a batch for our neighbours. Used walnuts, not toasted and they were perfect. The second batch I added some mini chocolate chips, along with the walnuts. The cookie dough tastes so good so I pretty sure they will turn out too. Thanks for this great recipe!!
You’re welcome!
These are amazing! I used monk fruit sweetener and made powdered sugar instead of regular powdered sugar and they turned out fabulous and so they’re basically calorie free lol!
Do these keep well at all in the freezer?
They freeze well, but they won’t be as pretty because the powdered sugar will kinda melt into the cookies, but you could always re-roll them once thawed.
These are my favorite cookies. I use a food processor to chop the nuts and mix the dough. I found Earth Balance to be too salty so I use Miyokos unsalted butter. Walnuts are my preferred nut.
Thanks Betty!
Can the chopped nuts be omitted?
Sure, they could I suppose. Should still work.
Question- on this recipe and one or two others of yours I’ve noticed when I follow exactly the cookie spreads and needs nearly double the flour called for. I use a GF blend but it works 1:1 in everything else I do. Do you use the spoon and level method? Is there something else that could be going on??
I’m not sure, but since it’s a gluten free blend that is pretty different than using all purpose. I use the spoon and level method when measuring flour. Also, it could be that you are softening the vegan butter too much, and the cookies are spreading due to that. Hope that helps!
What is the serving size in reference to the nutritional facts?
The nutrition facts are an estimate only but are for 1 cookie, if you make 26 cookies.
Amazing!!
These are probably the first vegan cookies that come out extraordinary, after I had lost faith in being able to make vgan delicious desserts.
I didn’t even have vegan butter, used Becel margarine instead, and walnuts instead of pecans.
Scrumptious! We devoured them before they were even cool enough for the second sugar-rolling.
Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
You’re welcome! Glad they were good!
These are so great and were a huge hit over the holidays! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
You’re welcome! So glad you like them.
These were amazing!!!!! I toasted the pecans before mixing in – adds a great layer of flavor!
What a great idea! Glad they were amazing!
I used Erythritol and 1/4 cup of almond flour with 1/4 cup of coconut flour and 1 1/2 all purpose flour to make the cookies sugar free and a little healthier and they turned out great!
That’s so great! Glad it came out great.
Yum!!! Very tasty and going fast! Thank you for another great recipe!
You’re welcome! Glad they’re good!
Would I be able to use Oat flour? Thanks!
I don’t think it would work the same, but I suppose it’s possible. If you try it, I’d love to hear!
How long do they take to thaw? If I kept in the fridge over night when can I roll in powdered sugar?
Do you mean if you froze the cookies? They might take an hour or two to thaw. Once they don’t feel frozen, you can roll them.
Thank you for Another easy and Awesome recipe. I used country crook plant based Avocado butter sticks and bobs gf all purpose flour. Turned out perfect. I do wish I would have taken them out at the 14 min mark as they are a tad bit dryer than I like. Hot tea will remedy that though ?
I’m glad the recipe was delicious and easy. 🙂
Hey Nora! So I baked these today and they taste amazing! Only problem was, when they baked they kinda flattened and didn’t keep the ball shape I desired. Any tips on what I might’ve done wrong or could do to ensure it keeps its shape? Thank you!
Make sure your vegan butter is not too soft and melty, and make sure you are accurately measuring all of the ingredients. Thanks!
Just made a double batch amazing cookies hubby loves them. Kept 12 out the rest are in the freezer.
I’m so glad you like them!
These are my FAVORITE! I’m making them tomorrow ?
Yay! Hope you love the cookies!
Thank you for the recipe. Do you use Earth Balance sticks or tub for this recipe and other bakery treats? Thank you!
I actually use both, depending on what I can find. I prefer the sticks because the measurements will be more exact. Though if the recipe calls for melted vegan butter, it doesn’t much matter if it’s the stick or tub.
Thank you!
Do you think these can be rolled, frozen, and then baked later?
Yes I think that would work!
What is the serving size for the macros listed in recipe ?
It is an approximate for 1 cookie, if you made 26 cookies total.