These Holiday Snowballs are going to melt in your mouth and you will be sneaking them one by one when no one else is looking. It’s so hard not to because you can’t resist the taste and they keep calling out to you. At least that’s what happens to me. I pop one in my mouth and instantly you hear, Mmmm, Mmmm. I’m like an 8 month old child trying new flavours for the first time.
It’s now December and with the festive season upon so is baking Christmas Cookies and this Holiday Snowball recipe is an easy Christmas cookie recipe. It’s pretty much no fail and really no effort at all to make. They are actually very budget friendly and the kids can help to make them as well.
If you remember from reading the previous Grocery Game Challenge- Ho, Ho, Ho Holiday Treats, I gave you a full run down of what I was going to make each week in December for the upcoming festivities. The goal is to finish them all and it’s a lofty goal for us but we will try.
Mrs.CBB has been making these recipes compliments of her grandmother for many years as Holiday Baking is a tradition in her family. Now we both make all the holiday treats together like Santa and Mrs. Clause although I’m far from having a white beard, large tummy, elves to do my dirty work and reindeer to whisk me away. We’ve made a few changes to the recipes over the years but for the most part they are the same.
Today what I did with this recipe and Mrs.CBB agreed was to mix the walnuts and pecans. Previous years we would just add walnuts and that’s perfectly fine.
You must make sure that the nuts aren’t big chunks. We put ours in a plastic bag and use a meat mallet to bash them about until they are small. What happens when the nuts are bit they protrude out the ball and in some instances the ball cracks in half.
I do caution with these cookies that you watch them like a hawk. You must check them after 5 mins to see what the bottom looks like. If the bottom is brown (see pic below) they are done. Don’t worry if the tops are still white, get them out of the oven and into some icing sugar for the first dusting.
Once you pull them out they will still be hot, wait about 2 minutes and then gently toss them into a tray of icing or confectioner’s sugar. Some of the icing may melt around the ball at this point and that is normal. Set them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper to cool then do it again.
The second coating of icing sugar will turn these balls into something magical and perfect for any gathering. We store them in the freezer for up to 3 months, sometimes longer if they don’t all get eaten up as we make lots.
Take them out and let them come to room temperature before serving. These Holiday Snow Balls are buttery with a nutty texture and melt in your mouth.
Recipe- Yield about 72 Holiday Snowballs or 6 Dozen (this recipe can be halved)
Tools:
- Stand Mixer or Bowl (manual)
- 3 Baking Sheets
- Container for icing sugar to roll balls
- knife to cut butter
- parchment paper to line trays
Prep Time:
- 10-15 minutes
- 5-10 minutes to cook in 350 degree oven
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups of unbleached flour
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla
- 1.5 cups crushed walnuts
- 1.5 cups of crushed pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt (not in picture above)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups of icing or confectioners sugar for rolling
Preparation: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- In your mixer put in your butter which you cut into cubes
- Mix the butter with the sugar until fluffy
- Add in the vanilla, salt and mix to incorporate 1 minute
- Add in the flour bit by bit while mixing
- Add in the nuts and mix to incorporate it all. It will come away from the bowl or look like the picture below. You can do all the above in a bowl by hand if you don’t have a mixer.
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper
- Roll the balls into small to medium balls, bit bigger than bite size and place on the baking sheet. These cookies hardly rise at all so you can place them closer together, just not touching. I put about 5 to a line.
- Place them in the oven to bake 5-10 minutes and at 5 minutes check to see if the bottoms are brown like the picture above. If so pull them out, let stand 1 minute then roll in the icing for the first roll. They will still be hot and that’s ok just be gentle with them so they don’t break.
- After about one hour when they cool down completely give them their second and final roll in the icing sugar and they are ready to enjoy!!
- It’s that easy!!!!
We not only put these Holiday Snowballs out for our guests they get to take a mixture of them home on a nicely decorated plate or in a festive tin. So, if you are looking for a recipe for snowballs this is the one, try it out!
Coming up Next Sunday….. Mr.CBB’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
What are your favourite Holiday Treats?
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Teresa says
Thanks for linking my Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies to your post. I appreciate it. I love this recipe you’ve posted too. I have lots of versions of it handed down from family!
Canadianbudgetbinder says
You’re Welcome Teresa! Yes it’s a simple recipe but elegant that anyone could make. Cheers and Happy Holidays and feel free to link up to one of my recipes and hook up with me on Facebook and Twitter don’t be shy come say hi and tell my fans about your site! Mr.CBB
Donna Routley says
Have you tried other nut meats? For someone who cannot eat or does not care for walnuts, I think almonds would also be delicious?
Canadianbudgetbinder says
There is no harm in trying but for me I wouldn’t as I don’t think they will breakdown as well as the walnut or pecan. If you do try them with almonds let me know what you think. What about pecans? I mixed them in as well.
Donna Routley says
Have you found other nuts work just as well? My husband does not like walknuts, but I think almonds would work just as well?
Tonya says
Yummy looking as always. Don’t be surprised when a bunch of pf bloggers suddenly show up at your doorstep. 🙂
Canadianbudgetbinder says
As long as you all bring the eggnog.. I’m happy to serve you all cookies! Mr.CBB
Jason @ WSL says
Oh, those look so good! We’ve been too busy to really focus on new recipes lately, but I’d love to give this a try! Maybe after the holidays we’ll get more into unhealthy recipes, but for now we’ve been trying to cut down on the sweets.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
These are mainly to give away to our mates for Christmas along with a jar of apple jam we made in the summer time. It’s a personal type gift that they look forward to every year rather than a crappy box of chocolates.
Jordann @ My Alternate Life says
Wow these look delicious and easy to make, thanks for this recipe! I’m not much of a baker but I might just try this one.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
This is one of those no fail recipes… you can’t go wrong.
Club Thrifty (@ClubThrifty) says
Yummers! Those look delicious:)
Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank says
They look amazing! The amount of cooking you guys do is great, I think I would gain 20 pounds living in your house though – so much great food, I just wouldn’t be able to help myself.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
We eat healthy all week and splurge on the weekend. We try to switch it up so we are trying new recipes out in the kitchen so we don’t get bored with eating. Lifes too short to eat the same thing each week. We are very active as well. Cheers Mr.CBB…. and I didn’t mean just in the bedroom lol.
Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank says
lol, I think my cheeks are a little pink after reading that…
Alexa says
Mmmm…My Aunt makes something similar every year around Christmas time. This is one of my favorite parts of the holidays, all the amazing food!
Canadianbudgetbinder says
This must be the grandma recipe lol… they melt in your mouth. The key is NOT to overcook them which some people do and they get crunchy. Thanks for dropping in Alexa! Mr.CBB
Living Debt Free Rocks! says
Oh they look like Tim Hortons timbits…but better!!! They would not survive very long given my sweet tooth.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
ha.. they do a bit don’t they. They are good… so are timbits.. especially sourcream.
wavensongz says
Hi There, as promised, dropped by to pick up my cookies. How did you know these are my all time Favorites!!! I REALLY MEAN IT!!! Thanks ;-D
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Get out, really? lol… they are good. I remember the first time Mrs.CBB made them. I couldn’t stop eating them, nothing has changed lol
wavensongz says
I am on it mate,tell you wife she is AMAZING. Cooked them tonight AWESOME. Now will I get to sleep, 8 cookies down, I’m finish, NOT!!! ;-D
The warm milk will help sleep to come, if not I will go Down HAPPY, Good Nite.
Christine Weadick says
These look awesome!!!!! I wonder how long they would last around here??? I have to hide the baking here just so it lasts until Christmas!!!! I usually put the baking in metal cookie tins then into the freezer. If a certain some one here wants to snitch he risks frost bite…..I’ll be making the fruitcake this week I hope. After that the big fave here is pineapple squares, my sister-in-law’s hubby just loves those!!!
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Hey Christine,
yes I’m always in snitching cookies, it’s hard when you know they are there. That’s why when they say if one wants to lose weight.. don’t keep it in the house lol…
Susan says
Whoops!!……Someone forgot to mention the amount of flour needed for these yummy looking treats. They just may end up mush balls without the correct amount of flour……..
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Hi Susan,
I’m not sure why you are not seeing the flour as it is there 4 cups of unbleached flour. You posted this at 6:01pm and my post was posted hours ago. I did forget the flour but it was added not even 5 minutes later and has been there ever since. Have a look again, you made me look a third time and it still says 4 cups of unbleached flour. Hope that helps. Mr.CBB
Ingredients:
1 lb of unsalted butter softened
4 cups of unbleached flour
2 tablespoons pure vanilla
1.5 cups crushed walnuts
1.5 cups of crushed pecans
1/4 teaspoon of salt (not in picture above)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 cups of icing or confectioners sugar for rolling
Preparation: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Lil' Suburban Homestead says
These look so AMAZING!!!! I am not going to do any fantastic cooking like that yet…..waiting til’ we get closer to the holidays! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Thanks Karen! They are super easy to make and everyone seems to tuck in and enjoy them. Cheers my dear! Mr.CBB
Kim@Eyesonthedollar says
This is such a help. At the last minute, I’ve decided to host our office Christmas party, so dinner and dessert for about 15 people. These look easy and delicious. Can’t wait to see next week’s recipe.
The Frugal Path (@Thefrugalpath) says
Those look awesome Mr. CBB. Although I must admit that I’m more partial to peanut butter and chocolate myself. I can’t wait for next week’s recipe. Nothing goes together better than chocolate and peanut butter.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
I hear ya mate! They are good…. PB balls are my fav!
Mary F Campbell says
They sound very yummy but addictive. Hmmm. I had better not start. 🙁
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Oh Mary, my mother in law is the same, it’s tough for her. We try not to bring too many home for that reason. She just loves her sweets.
Debt RoundUp (@DebtRoundUp) says
These look awesome Mr. CBB! I wonder how well they will taste if you just mail them to me? Great recipe that I will have to try out.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
It’s super easy to make these.. really and budget friendly!! The nuts are the costliest item but you don’t need much. Mail them, hmmm.. don’t think there will be any left by the time I’m done with them lol.. Cheers mate. Mr.CBB
Karen H says
There is no flour indicated in the recipe????
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Oh crap… thanks!
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Thanks again Karen, I added it in.. great fans always keep me on my toes!! Mr.CBB