Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Tender cookies with crunchy nuts and soft powdered sugar coating.
Taste: Buttery, nutty richness + the perfect sweetness.
Ease: Easy (and fun!) to make with simple ingredients.
Top Tips: Don’t skip the cornstarch — it helps to lighten the texture for the perfect bite!
Recommended GF Flour: My favorite for this recipe is King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour. It’s a high-quality blend and contains xanthan gum.
Would I make these again? Absolutely! Snowballs are one of my favorite Christmas cookies so I knew I had to make a gluten-free recipe for the holidays! They’re a timeless classic year after year.
xoxo erin
This post was originally published in November 2022. It was updated with new photos and instructions in December 2024.
No holiday dessert table is complete without classic snowball cookies! They look amazing, taste delicious, and are super fun to make!
These rich, buttery pecan cookies are always rolled in powdered sugar for a festive winter “snowball” look. They’re perfect for cookie exchanges, Christmas parties, family dinners, school parties, or any other occasion really!
Featured Comment
From Katrina: “I am over the moon happy! My daughter and I made these using the King Arthur 1 to 1 flour and they turned out absolutely amazing! My whole family enjoyed them. I’m so grateful I found your website!”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Use Powdered Sugar
- (instead of Granulated Sugar)
- How to Make Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- What are snowball cookies made of?
- Can cookies covered in powdered sugar be frozen?
- Can these gluten-free snowball cookies be made dairy-free?
- Gluten-Free Snowball Cookie Tips
- More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies
- Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth!) Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free snowball cookies. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-free flour: I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. You want to look for one that contains xanthan gum as a binder. This will prevent the cookies from being too crumbly. Here is my favorite brand.
- Pecans: Finely chopped pecans give these cookies a little crunch while also adding nutty flavor. You can also use walnuts, if you prefer.
- Almond extract: Almond extract is the secret that makes these cookies so delicious! It’s subtle nutty notes add to the overall flavor profile while enhancing the pecans.
- Powdered sugar: This is a key ingredient for light snowball cookies! Powdered sugar is used both in the dough and for the outer coating to create melt-in-your-mouth cookies with smooth sweetness. I also use this trick in my gluten-free shortbread cookies.
- Cornstarch: A little cornstarch is key to a tender snowball! It reduces the toughness of the dough and creates a delicate crumb for the best texture.
You also might like this fudge recipe and this caramel recipe.
Use Powdered Sugar
(instead of Granulated Sugar)
One of the key tricks for gluten-free snowball cookies is to use powdered sugar (aka confectioners sugar) instead of granulated white sugar. Powdered sugar hydrates more easily in gluten-free dough to create that classic sandy (rather than grainy) shortbread consistency.
How to Make Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies
Here’s an overview of how to make these cookies. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Using a stand or hand mixer: Mix the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla/almond extracts, and salt until light and creamy (about 2-3 minutes).
- With the mixer on low: Slowly add the gluten-free flour, then the cornstarch, and finally the chopped nuts. Mix until well-combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
- On a prepared baking sheet: Scoop and shape dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Place them about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet, then freeze the dough balls for 20 minutes. Bake on 375°F until the bottoms begin to turn golden brown (13-15 minutes).
- Cool and coat: Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar while they’re still a little warm. Let them cool the rest of the way on a wire rack, then roll them in powdered sugar a second time. Repeat baking/rolling with any remaining dough. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Keep the bowl wrapped in plastic wrap or store the dough in an airtight container. Refrigerate until you’re ready to bake!
To Store: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If the powdered sugar coating absorbs, roll with fresh powdered sugar when ready to serve.
To Freeze (dough): The frozen dough balls can be placed in an airtight container or freezer bag for long-term storage. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can bake them straight from frozen! You just may need to add 2-3 minutes onto the baking time.
To Freeze (baked): Leftover cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, then move them to long-term storage containers to prevent sticking. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.
What are snowball cookies made of?
The classic holiday cookie is traditionally made with wheat flour, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a few other ingredients. My gluten-free snowball cookies are made with gluten-free flour, making them safe for people with Celiac disease.
Can cookies covered in powdered sugar be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze snowball cookies and other cookies covered in powdered sugar. I like to freeze the cookies on a cookie sheet before packing them into a freezer bag for storage. You can always roll the cookies in fresh powdered sugar after thawing, if it looks like they need a fresh coating!
Can these gluten-free snowball cookies be made dairy-free?
Definitely! Replace the butter with vegan butter and you’re all set!
Gluten-Free Snowball Cookie Tips
- The chilling time helps the cookie dough to hydrate so the dough is easier to work with and prevents the finished cookies from tasting grainy.
- For best results, use a high quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour that contains xanthan gum.
- Use powdered sugar (aka confectioners sugar) instead of granulated white sugar. Powdered sugar hydrates more easily in gluten-free dough to create that classic light texture.
- A little cornstarch added to the dry ingredients helps to lighten the crumb of the cookies.
- Add almond extract for an extra delicious flavor!
- Use pecans or walnuts – or any nut you like!
More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies
Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar plus extra for dusting
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (300g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ cup (84g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, add the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt and mix until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the gluten-free flour. Mix in the cornstarch followed by the chopped nuts. Mix for another minute or so until well-combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon-sized dough balls and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Freeze the dough balls for 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the bottoms are beginning to turn golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes, then roll the slightly warm cookies in powdered sugar.
- Place on a wire cooling rack. Let the cookies cool completely and then roll in powdered sugar a second time.
- Repeat baking and rolling with the remaining dough. Enjoy!
Delicious! I’ve already made two batches in the span of a few weeks. Super easy and turns out exactly like the gluten ones I used to make.
Hi Megan, thank you again for a great review! It means a lot!
Hi Erin! I just found your site and am excited to make these cookies today for Passover! However I just want to be clear on the baking time. On step 9 it says: “Repeat baking and rolling with the remaining dough. Enjoy!” Does that mean that after baking for 13-15 min and cooling and rolling in powdered sugar, I put it BACK in the oven for ANOTHER 13-15 minutes? Thank you!
Hi Sara, thank you for your question! No, it just means that if you didn’t get all of the dough baked in the first batch, you will need to repeat those steps with any unbaked dough until you’ve used it all up. Since we recommend 1 tablespoon-sized dough balls, 3 inches apart, often times people have to bake them in batches. We hope this helps!
Loved! Will be making each Christmas going forward.
Hi there, thank you for your kind feedback! We’re so glad you loved the recipe!
Hi Nancy, we’re sorry you had this experience! Cornstarch is important in this recipe because it reduces the toughness of the dough and creates a lighter crumb. Using a different flour blend may be causing the dough to absorb more liquid and require additional liquid to be workable. We like to use King Arthur Measure-for-Measure flour for this recipe. We hope this helps!
Help please. I put all the ingredients in just as you described and I don’t have dough. I have crumbled up pieces that look like I’ve cut butter into flour. What is the remedy for this? I hope you can reply quickly because I have everything in the bowl And I’m desperate to get this cookie made.
Hi Sarah, thank you for your question! Before adding extra liquid, you can try working the dough with your hands to see if gently pressing it together binds it better. You can then try adding 1-2 Tbsp of milk or melted butter to add a little more moisture to the dough. Chilling the dough will help the flour to hydrate even more. We hope these ideas help and you enjoy the cookies!
Hi! Do you recommend salted or unsalted butter for these?
The same thing happened to me; I used the recommended flour and followed the recipe exactly. I put the dough (wrapped in plastic wrap in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften it enough to form into little balls. I still could not roll them between my hands. They are now in the freezer but I think they’ll be fine. But I’m also remembering why I never liked to make these (pre GF days)!!
I must be doing something wrong. I threw out the first batch and the second is doing the same… after the first refrigeration the dough is ROCK HARD. I followed all directions… what am I doing wrong?
Hi Jenni, what kind of flour did you use? The blend of gf flour can change the moisture levels. Beyond that, chilling the dough in the fridge is important for the flour to hydrate and the butter to set, but if it is too hard to work with after chilling, you can let it sit out at room temperature for a few minutes until it softens just enough to be workable so it can be rolled into balls. Just don’t let the dough get too warm or it will change how the cookies bake. We hope these ideas help!
I am over the moon happy! My daughter and I made these using the King Aurther 1 to 1 flour and they turned out absolutely amazing! My whole family enjoyed them. I’m so grateful I found your website!
Yay! This makes us so happy Katrina! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us. Happy baking!
Hello Erin!
Thank you!
Wondering if I can freeze these once they are made? Thank you!
Pat
Definitely Pat! Baked snowballs can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, then move them to long-term storage containers to prevent sticking. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
What is the step by step guide for freezing them. I definitely want them to last longer than 5 days
Hi Ericka, we like to freeze the cookies on a cookie sheet before packing them into a freezer bag for storage. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
Is that before or after cooking them?
While baking, my cookies kind of flattened out. Regular snowballs are round. I’m sure they are still good, but why did this happen?
Hi Brenda! I’m sorry the cookies spread for you. I would make sure you used enough gluten-free flour. What brand did you use?
Erin, I cannot eat anything with corn or wheat. What can I use in place of the cornstarch?
You can use potato starch or arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch. I hope this helps!
Very yummy, but cookies cane out still a little crumbly. What could have happened? Thank you!
I’ve had Italian cookie recipes for years now. But since I now have Celiac Disease, I have not made them.
My family miss those cookies so much, it makes me sad.
How can I convert the “Italian Cookie Recipes from regular flour to Gluten Free Flour. (The ratio of flour)
Doesn’t every Gluten Free flour already have Xanthum gum in it?
I’ve seen many recipes call for that!
Please help me out regarding making my Gluten Free Italian Cookies.
I truly want to make all the cookies this Holiday Season.
Thank you so much!
Hi Maria! I find that gluten-free flour is quite a bit denser than regular flour. I usually reduce the amount of flour by 15-20% of what a recipe calls for as a starting place to make it gluten-free. Cookies are easier to make gluten-free than other types of baked goods so you should have good results with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Just reduce the flour slightly! I hope this helps 🙂
Can margarine or earth balance be used instead if butter?
Yes that will work great!
Thank you!