It’s not Christmas without snowballs! These mini chocolate chip snowball cookies are a classic. Made without nuts or eggs, they’re a great school-safe treat too!
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So this last week was a WHIRLWIND! We got home on Saturday and we found ourselves thrown right into all that is the busy holiday (and work) season. Photo shoots and deadlines, cookie exchanges, pre-k Christmas parties and a few other commitments that I had forgotten about while sunning myself in Maui!
Ah, ’tis the season! I truly do love the craziness of it, even if it can be overwhelming at times. Once I get my head on straight, and our TREE UP I will be 100% into the Christmas spirit.
One of the cookies I included for the cookie exchange was these chocolate chip snowball cookies. I tested it once before we left for Maui, and they weren’t perfect, so I had to quickly do a couple of other mini batches when we got back to get it just right for Tuesday night! You may have seen the two side-by-side batches on my Insta stories. One batch had too much butter and spread out way more than a snowball should! The other ones stayed in a perfect little mound. I’m learning so much about butter and flour ratios when it comes to cookies! A small change can make a BIG difference!
How do you make snowball cookies?
One of the reasons I chose to do snowballs for the cookie exchange, other than the fact that they’re such a classic holiday cookie, is that you can make them SO QUICKLY! If you have a stand mixer, it’s crazy easy.
Start by mixing the room temperature butter with the powdered sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add the flour, salt and vanilla extract, and then mix in the chocolate chips.
Do you have to chill the dough for chocolate chip snowball cookies?
No! That being said, since I had the whole butter-spreading issue with one of my batches, I actually ended up measuring and rolling the dough into balls, placing them on the lined baking sheets and then putting the whole baking sheet into the fridge for about 5 minutes before placing it in the oven. This may not be necessary, but I can tell you for certain that it does work! And 5 minutes doesn’t add a whole ton of time to the process.
The dough balls should be about 1 tablespoon each, which is equivalent to a well-rounded small cookie scoop. I use this one
The cookies need to bake for 11-12 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. They will continue to bake a bit after you remove them from the oven, so it’s ok if they look slightly underbaked.
Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before rolling the cookies in more powdered sugar. This is what gives them the “snowball” effect!
The cookies need to cool completely before you package them.
Can you use freeze snowball cookies?
Snowball cookies freeze very well! You should keep them in even layers in an airtight container, separated by a piece of parchment paper. Thaw the cookies overnight in the fridge, and roll them in a bit of extra powdered sugar to make them look even prettier.
If you’re visiting this page, you’re probably right in the midst of the holiday baking season.
I’d love to hear what you have lined up! Since I was away for a couple of weeks, I feel like I need to make up for lost time. I’m going to be getting my bake ON this weekend. I want to make my DIY gingerbread house with the kids, and sugar cookies are always a must. They’re the perfect craft for Oscar in the afternoon while the other two are sleeping. What kid doesn’t love decorating cookies!?
Anyway, I hope your weekend is filled with sugar, flour and fun.
I’ve got a wicked cookie bar roundup on the blog, but if cookie bars aren’t your thing, here are some other holiday treats:
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Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 34 cookies 1x
Description
It’s not Christmas without snowballs! These mini chocolate chip snowball cookies are a classic. Made without nuts or eggs, they’re a great school-safe treat too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips (or mini)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the flour, salt and vanilla extract, and beat on medium until just combined. Add in the chocolate chips and mix on low for about 15 seconds.
- Scoop out the dough and roll into 1 tablespoon sized balls and place them on a lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Once all of the balls are lined up on the sheet, place the entire cookie sheet into the fridge for 5 minutes, before removing and placing into the oven to bake, for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.* Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the warm baking sheet before rolling them, one at a time, in the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cookies should be completely cooled before placing them in an airtight container, in an even layer, to store for 1-2 weeks at room temperature, or up to 2 months in the freezer. Separate layers with a piece of parchment paper.
Notes
*You can also bake the cookies without chilling the pan for 5 minutes, but I like to do this to ensure that the mounds are nice and tall, with no chance of spreading.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: sweets
- Method: bake
Keywords: mini chocolate chip snowball cookies // snowball cookies no nuts // cookies with mini chocolate chips
YUM! Loving the addition of chocolate chips here! These are calling my name! (Rather loudly!!) Pinned!
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Chocolate chips add a nice little sweet crunch to the mix! Thanks Annie!!
This season is just crazy busy, but I love it too. Makes me appreciate the slow pace of the holidays even more. Once Christmas Eve hits, I go into automatic relaxation mode! These cookies look perfect for the holidays. I’ve never made this type of snowball cookie. Around here, snowballs are cocoa, coconut, oats, sugar and butter. No bake and rolled in coconut. But I really want to try these this year! Anything chocolate chip and I’m in!
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Yeeees me too, Leanne!!! I’m looking forward to Christmas Eve and the week that follows, so I can relax and unwind a bit! Oh, those no-bake snowballs sound pretty awesome. You know how I feel about chocolate and coconut! Yum!
Welcome back! I guess it’s going to be a busy time for you now. Also, I hope you found lots of snow when you returned – what kind of Christmas would be without the snow? But in case it’s not going to be White Christmas, those snowballs are absolutely appropriate (And delicious!) substitution 🙂
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It’s been really crazy since getting back from vacation, Ben. I miss the slow pace of Maui! But it’s true, I am secretly glad for the white Christmas. And the snowballs! Both kinds… 😉 Thank you!
Snowball cookies are always a favorite at my house–these look PERFECT! I have to try your recipe!
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Thanks Kelsie!! The chocolate chips are definitely the best part!!
I love the addition of chocolate chips in snow ball cookies. I loved watching all your insta stories, Kathy. So glad you had a fabulous vacation with the fam 🙂
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Aw thanks Maria!! I had so much fun on vacation, I’m already wishing I was back there enjoying the sun!!
Love these babies and would take the whole batch by myself. I guess everybody is a bit crazy these days and I am not an exception; coming home late and trying to catch up whatever it needs to have decent holidays… anyway, holidays are getting closer and we’ll have fun. As always 🙂
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It’s certainly crazy these days. Trying to fit in all the things and get everything ready!! The holidays are close now, and that means we get to relax! Thanks friend!
It looked like you guys had such a great time on your trip! Welcome back! Love these snowball cookies Katherine. Snowballs are always a must on the holiday cookie tray. I love the added chocolate chips! Pinned and excited to give these a try!
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We had an amazing time, Mary Ann! I think of it often! We definitely have to have snowballs during our Christmas gatherings too. Thank you my friend! Hope you love them!
Snowball cookies have been on my list of recipes to make this holiday season! And I like your tip of popping the cookie sheet in the fridge for 5-minutes before baking to ensure there isn’t any spreading! Pinning!!
Thanks Kelly!!! It worked like a charm, and then you don’t have snow “puddles” haha!!
These look amazing, Katherine! But how did you resist eating that bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough? I doubt that even a single cookie would make it to the oven in my kitchen…
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Hahah! It was so hard to resist. The dough was so delicious!!! I had a hard time for sure. But the end result is just as delicious too!!!
Wowza! Those are so easily poppable….I could literally probably eat 10! They look like they just MELT in your mouth! Yes please!
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I know!!!! They are very poppable, it’s hard to stop at one or two. DAngeorus! Haha. Thanks Haylie!
We definitely have the same taste — I have a chocolate chip snowball cookie recipe on my site too! It’s my favorite snowball cookie recipe. I mean, chocolate does make everything better right? These look amazing!
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Oh that’s so funny. We are twinning when it comes to blogging!!! Chocolate definitely makes everything better. Thanks Marcie!
Such a crazy time of year, but I always say that most of the excitement is the build up to Christmas day! Looking forward to Christmas eve and day, though. Always nice to get together with family and have a nice meal! These snowball cookies look like they would be a delicious addition to my cookie tray 🙂 No going wrong with that combo!
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It’s so true Dawn!! It is all about the buildup, and the day always kind of just comes and goes! It’s always fun though. Thank you my friend, I hope you had the most wonderful (and delicious) Christmas!!
Christmas without snowballs somehow seems incomplete. I love that it’s firm, crumbly, and buttery. And it tastes best when your lips are covered with powdered sugar!😄
Haha absolutely. The powdered sugar makes these! I gotta have my snowballs during Christmas, too Thao!!