These vegan snowball cookies are nutty, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth little shortbread balls that are double-rolled in powdered sugar. They are also known as Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes.
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I have always loved snowball cookies, and this vegan version is just as good as the traditional recipe. It is hard to believe they are vegan, and everyone I have served them to has loved them.
If you want more festive vegan cookie recipes, I highly recommend trying my jam-filled thumbprint cookies, blueberry-lemon cookies, coconut cookies, or walnut crescent cookies.
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❤️ Why you’ll love it
I absolutely adore these vegan snowball cookies. The traditional recipe uses butter, but this plant-based version is just as buttery and delicious thanks to the dairy-free butter and nut meal.
The use of white rice flour in this recipe gives the cookies a beautiful, delicate texture that is similar to traditional snowball cookies. It also makes them gluten-free, which is great for those with gluten sensitivities or allergies.
These cookies are not only delicious but also incredibly easy to make. The dough comes together quickly in a food processor, and there is no chilling required. This means you can have a batch of freshly baked, warm, and buttery snowball cookies in no time.
They are perfect for any occasion, from holiday gatherings to afternoon tea. Plus, they look like little snowballs, which are just adorable and fun to eat.
🧾 Key ingredients
These snowball cookies are a delicious, vegan take on a classic treat. They are simple to make and require only a few basic ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. Many of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry!
White rice flour is the star of this recipe, giving the cookies their delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It is a gluten-free flour that is perfect for baking.
Nut meal, made from ground walnuts or pecans, adds a rich, nutty flavor to the cookies. It is a key ingredient in traditional snowball cookies, and this vegan version is no exception.
Cornstarch is essential for achieving the perfect crumbly texture in these cookies. It helps to bind the ingredients together while keeping the cookies light and delicate. You can also use tapioca starch or arrowroot starch as a substitute.
Vegan butter is used to replace traditional butter in this recipe. It provides the cookies with a rich, buttery flavor while keeping them dairy-free.
Vanilla extract is optional in this recipe, but it adds a wonderful aroma and flavor to the cookies. It is the perfect finishing touch to this simple, yet delicious, recipe.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Equipment
For this vegan snowball cookies recipe, a food processor is the most crucial piece of equipment you will need. It helps to achieve the perfect, crumbly texture for the cookie dough, which is the key to the melt-in-your-mouth consistency of the snowball cookies.
👩🍳 Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
STEP 1
Start by preheating your oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit (199°C). This will ensure that your oven is ready when it is time to bake the cookies.
STEP 2
Next, gather all of your ingredients. These include rice flour, nut meal, corn starch, sugar, vegan butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Having everything prepared and ready to use will make the baking process much smoother.
Making the vegan snowball cookies
STEP 1
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. This includes rice flour, nut meal, corn starch, sugar, vegan butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Pulse these ingredients together until they form a crumb-like texture.
STEP 2
Transfer the mixture from the food processor into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to knead the dough for about two minutes, until it forms a ball. If the dough feels too dry, add one to three teaspoons of water, one teaspoon at a time.
STEP 3
Take one tablespoon of the cookie dough and roll it into a ball using your hands. Place these balls on a baking tray or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. They can be placed relatively close together, as they will not expand during baking.
STEP 4
Place the baking tray in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Check on them after eight minutes to see if they are browning. If they are brown, they are ready. Keep in mind that cookies made with rice flour tend to brown more slowly.
STEP 5
While the cookies are still warm, dust them with powdered sugar using a sifter. Leaving them on the parchment paper to cool down will make this process easier.
STEP 6
Once the cookies have completely cooled down, roll them in powdered sugar again. This will give them a lusciously white, snowball-like finish.
💡 Expert tip
The key to achieving the perfect vegan snowball cookies is the texture of your dough. When kneading the dough, if it feels too dry and crumbly, do not hesitate to add a teaspoon of water at a time until the dough comes together.
🔄 Variations
Add a festive twist with peppermint. Adding a teaspoon of peppermint extract or a tablespoon of crushed candy canes will give these vegan snowball cookies a refreshing and festive twist.
For a decadent chocolate version, consider adding cocoa powder. Incorporating 1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into the dough will give these vegan snowball cookies a rich chocolate flavor.
Add a touch of citrus with lemon or orange zest. If you like citrus flavors, try adding the zest of one lemon or orange to the dough. This will give the cookies a refreshing, aromatic twist that pairs beautifully with the nutty flavor.
🥣 Serving ideas
These snowball cookies are a perfect addition to any holiday dessert table. They are great to enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa by the fire or a warm mug of tea.
They can also be a lovely gift for friends and family. Pack them in a cute tin or a festive box, and you will have a delicious and thoughtful present.
And if you are having a cookie exchange party, these vegan snowball cookies will be a hit. They are a classic, beloved treat that everyone will enjoy. You can also serve them with other types of cookies, like gingerbread or sugar cookies, for a fun and varied dessert spread.
❄️ Storing tips
These vegan snowball cookies are a great make-ahead dessert option. In fact, they tend to get even better as the flavors have more time to meld together.
To store the leftovers, allow them to cool completely first. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature, and they will stay fresh for about a week.
You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough in the freezer. Just shape the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer the dough balls to a resealable bag. This way, you can have freshly baked snowball cookies whenever you want them. Just roll them in the powdered sugar before baking.
🤔 FAQs
Can I use a different type of flour for these cookies?
No, I do not recommend it. The texture and shape of these cookies are only possible with white rice flour. For the same reason, I do not recommend using any other type of flour (be it sorghum, oat, almond, or coconut) either.
Why didn’t my cookies turn out white?
If your cookies did not turn out as white as you expected, it is because the vegan butter is yellow and the nut meal is brown. Also the temperature in the oven makes them a little brownish even during the short time they spend in there. You can cover all up with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
Why are my cookies too dry?
If your cookies turned out too dry, it may be due to the type of nut meal you used. Different nuts have different oil contents, which can affect the consistency of the dough. If you find that your dough is too dry, you can try adding a little more dairy-free butter to moisten it.
More vegan cookie recipes
For more vegan dessert recipes, browse through our recipe collection or check out these delicious cookies:
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Vegan Snowball Cookies (GF)
Ingredients
- 1 cup White rice flour
- ½ cup Nut meal (ground walnuts or pecans)
- ⅓ cup Corn starch or tapioca starch and other substitutes
- ⅓ cup Cane sugar
- 3 oz Dairy-free butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Water optional – see instructions
- ¼ cup Powdered sugar (confectionary sugar)
Instructions
Making the snowball cookies
- Preheat the oven to 390 Fahrenheit (ca. 199 °C).
- Add all ingredients (rice flour, nut meal, corn starch, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla extract) to a food processor and pulse until you get a crumb-like texture.
- Take a mixing bowl and add the dough from the food processor. Knead it with your hands for 2 minutes to form a ball. Depending on the butter you use or the exact measurements, if you still feel that the dough is too dry, add 1-3 teaspoons of water. One teaspoon at a time.
- Take 1 Tablespoon of cookie dough and form a ball with your hands.
- Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookie balls on it. You can place them relatively close, as they will not expand during baking.
- Bake them for 10-12 minutes. Check it after 8 minutes to see whether they're getting brown or not. Cookies with rice flour tend to brown slower. So if they are brown, they are more than ready.
Covering them with powdered sugar
- They are pretty soft right out of the oven. So leave them on the parchment paper to cool down. While they are still warm, dust them with powdered sugar using a sifter.
- If they are completely cooled down, roll them in powdered sugar again. You will only get a luscious white snowball-like finish if you double up like that. (See notes for more explanation.)
Notes
- Parchment paper instead of a baking sheet – I recommend using parchment paper instead of a baking sheet, especially if you bake multiple batches. You can take the parchment paper from the baking tray and place it on a cooling rack. Then you bake the next round without any waiting time. If you use a silicone baking sheet, you need to wait because these snowball cookies will likely deform if you try to move them while they are hot.
- Place them close – As there is no baking powder, baking soda, or any other type of leavening, they will not rise significantly. You can place them relatively close to each other.
- When are they ready? – If they start to brown on the edges, you are too late. Cookies with rice flour usually remain light-colored.
- Why do you need double dusting? – When you dust them with powdered sugar right out of the oven, the heat will melt it a bit, creating the perfect surface for the next round of powdered sugar to stick to the snowballs. If you only do one round, they will not likely be as snowy.
Giulianna
could I use brown rice flour, sorghum, or oat instead of white rice?
Emese
Brown rice flour should work. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of water if you see that the dough is too dry.