Vegan Snowball Cookies

These buttery vegan snowball cookies are melt-in-your mouth perfection! And whether you call them snowballs, wedding cookies or russian tea cakes, this easy family favorite is a MUST for your holiday cookie trays! Packed with walnuts and dairy free.

A white plate filled with Vegan Snowball Cookies.

Today we talk a classic christmas cookie. One that I consider a total must make for the holiday season. 

Irresistible, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth-tender snowball cookies!

Or otherwise known as mexican wedding cookies, russian tea cakes, butterballs, italian wedding cookies. The list goes on. 

But no matter what you call them, this classic cookie has long been a family favorite and I’ve been itching to make a dairy free version that is just as good as the original.

Which brings us to today.

Buttery without the actual butter, these bad boys taste just like the cookies I remember. 

They’re easy to make, there’s no chilling of the dough required and with that final roll in powdered sugar? 

It’s christmas cookie perfection. 

Ground walnuts in a food processor and then cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.

How To Make

So, let’s talk about how these simple cookies go down.

Beat the wet ingredients. First up, we’ll beat together some softened coconut oil, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients. Next, we’ll add in some flour, salt and plenty of ground walnuts, along with a few tablespoons of water just to get the dough to come together.

Form into balls and bake. We’ll scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, form into balls and then place on a prepared baking sheet, before popping in the oven until set and lightly browned. 

Roll in powdered sugar. Finally, we’ll roll the cookies in confectioners’ sugar after cooling for about 10 minutes. And then roll again once completely cool to really coat them well. 

Cookie dough for Dairy Free Snowballs in a glass mixing bowl with a cookie scoop.

Tips & Tricks

  1. First things first. Let’s talk about the coconut oil. You want it to be softened but NOT melted. I measure out the required 1 cup and then pop it in the microwave for about 10 to 20 seconds to get it to that softened state (keep in mind that this is when our house is cold – if your house is warm, you might not need to microwave it at all). 
  2. Now, about the flour. Fluff your flour in the container / bag, then scoop into your measuring cup with a spoon and level off. Don’t dunk the cup straight into the bag as you’ll likely use too much.
  3. Add just enough water to your dough so that you can roll it into balls (you don’t want to go overboard here). You can see in the pictures above what it will look like both before and after you add the water to the dough. 
  4. A cookie scoop is your best friend so that all your balls come out to the same size (and makes it nice and easy!).
  5. You can absolutely use raw pecans in place of the walnuts. 
  6. However, do NOT substitute regular sugar for the confectioners’ sugar in the cookie dough. It is essential for helping the cookies hold their shape and not spread too much while baking. 

A plate filled with Vegan Russian Tea Cakes with a cup of coffee to the side.

How To Store

The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 to 7 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze the finished cookies for up to 3 months. 

When ready to enjoy, thaw them in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before serving. I also like to give them another quick roll in confectioners’ sugar.

A plate of Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies with a bite taken out of one.

Additional Dairy Free Cookie Recipes:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Vegan Snowball Cookies

Vegan Snowball Cookies

Yield: about 50 to 55 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

These buttery vegan snowball cookies are melt-in-your mouth perfection! And whether you call them snowballs, wedding cookies or russian tea cakes, this easy family favorite is a MUST for your holiday cookie trays!

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups raw walnuts, mostly ground*
  • 1 cup solid-state coconut oil, softened (but not melted)
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar**
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • about 3 to 5 tablespoons cold water, as needed

For rolling:

  • about 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and walnuts. 
  3. To a large bowl, add the coconut oil, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour / walnut mixture and beat until combined (the dough will be crumbly). Add in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with a spatula until the dough comes together enough to roll it into balls (I usually add about 4 to 4 ½ tablespoons). 
  5. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll into balls, placing on the prepared baking sheet about 1 to 1 ½ inches apart.
  6. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottoms. 
  7. Let the cookies cool directly on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then gently roll in the confectioners’ sugar. Let the cookies cool completely, then roll again in the sugar if desired.

Notes

*Add the 2 cups raw walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and process for about 10 to 20 seconds until mostly ground (a few larger chunks are fine!).

**Be sure to use a brand of confectioners’ sugar that is vegan. I personally like Wholesome’s organic powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 50 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 95Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.