Last week, Emily and I were planning our annual cookie swap party (we do this every December with our neighbors), and she asked me what cookie screams "Christmas" the most. Without even thinking, I blurted out "Peppermint Snowball Cookies!" There's something about that combination of buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture with cool peppermint that just feels like the holidays wrapped up in one little ball. Plus, they look so pretty dusted with powdered sugar and those festive peppermint bits!
These cookies are seriously one of my go-to recipes when I need something that looks impressive but doesn't take forever to make. We're talking 30 minutes from start to finish here! They're buttery, they're minty, and they practically dissolve on your tongue. If you've ever had Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes, these are like the peppermint cousin that shows up to the holiday party wearing a Santa hat.
I've been making these peppermint snowball cookies for years now, and every single time I bring them somewhere, people ask for the recipe. Last year at our church potluck, three different people cornered me by the dessert table asking how I got them so perfectly round and crumbly. The secret? It's all in how you handle that dough (I'll tell you exactly what to do!).
Want another simple holiday cookie? Try my small batch chocolate chip cookies for when you don't need a whole batch but still want something sweet!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Peppermint Snowball Cookies
- Ingredients For Peppermint Snowball Cookies
- How To Make The Best Peppermint Snowball Cookies
- How To Store Peppermint Snowball Cookies
- Tips For Perfect Peppermint Snowball Cookies
- Variations To Try With Your Snowball Cookies
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies FAQs
- Recipes You May Like
- Ready To Make These Festive Cookies?
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Why You Will Love These Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Quick and easy - Just 15 minutes of prep time and you're done! No chilling the dough overnight or complicated techniques required.
Melt-in-your-mouth texture - These cookies literally crumble apart as you bite into them. The high butter ratio creates that signature sandy, tender texture that makes snowball cookies so special.
Perfect peppermint flavor - Not too strong, not too subtle. The crushed peppermints and optional peppermint extract give you just the right amount of minty freshness without being overwhelming.
Beautiful presentation - Rolled in powdered sugar and peppermint sprinkles, these cookies look like little snow-covered treats. They're so pretty on a cookie platter!
Make-ahead friendly - You can prep the dough days in advance or freeze the baked cookies. This makes them perfect for busy holiday schedules or cookie exchanges.
No spreading - Unlike some cookies that turn into puddles in the oven, these keep their cute ball shape. Makes them super easy to arrange on your cookie tray!
Ingredients For Peppermint Snowball Cookies
For The Cookies
- ¼ cup crushed peppermints or Wilton peppermint sprinkles
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or use ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract for stronger peppermint taste)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For The Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Wilton peppermint crunch sprinkles
Ingredient notes: I usually buy the Wilton peppermint crunch sprinkles because they stay crunchy and don't get sticky. But honestly? Crushed candy canes work just as well if you already have those lying around (which I always do after Emily raids her stocking). Just crush them up really fine in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
The butter needs to be actually softened, not melted! Room temperature is key here. If you press your finger into it, it should leave an indent but still hold its shape.
How To Make The Best Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Prep Your Workspace
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. I know this seems low, but trust me on this one! Lower heat keeps these cookies tender instead of crispy.
- Prepare your cookie sheet. If it's non-stick, you're good to go. If not, line it with parchment paper. I learned this the hard way after scrubbing stuck cookies off a pan for 20 minutes one Christmas Eve (not fun).
Make The Sugar Coating
- Mix together ⅓ cup powdered sugar and ¼ cup Wilton peppermint sprinkles in a small bowl. Set this aside for later. This is your magic snow coating!
Mix The Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup peppermint sprinkles, and vanilla extract until well combined. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING at this point.
- Slowly add the flour and salt to the butter mixture. Mix until everything comes together and the dough is no longer super crumbly. The dough will be a bit crumbly at first - that's totally normal! Just keep mixing.
Shape And Bake
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Here's my trick: if the dough feels too crumbly, squeeze the ball firmly in your hand first to pack it together, then roll it smooth. Works every time!
- Place the dough balls on your prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. They won't spread much, so don't worry about them running into each other.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. You're looking for the very bottom edges to just start turning golden. The tops should still look pale! This is IMPORTANT - do not wait for them to turn brown on top. They'll look underbaked but they're not. I promise!
Cool And Coat
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. And I mean COMPLETELY. If you try to roll them in sugar while they're warm, they'll just fall apart. Ask me how I know (RIP to my first batch last year).
- Once cooled, roll each cookie in the sugar coating mixture until fully covered. They should look like little snowballs!
- Store in an airtight container. These cookies keep getting better after a day or two as the peppermint flavor really settles in.
How To Store Peppermint Snowball Cookies
These cookies are actually really easy to store, which is one reason I make them so often during the holidays.
Room temperature: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. I use a tin with parchment paper between the layers to keep the powdered sugar coating nice.
Refrigerator: You can refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks if you want them to last longer. Just know that the powdered sugar might get a little sticky from condensation. You can always roll them in fresh powdered sugar before serving!
Freezer: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. I freeze them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. Let them thaw at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
Pro tip: If the powdered sugar coating looks sad after storage, just roll the cookies in fresh powdered sugar and peppermint sprinkles before serving. They'll look like you just made them!
Make-ahead dough: Want to prep ahead? You can make the dough up to 2 days in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Or freeze the dough for up to 3 months! Just thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling and baking.
Tips For Perfect Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Don't skip the cooling step - I know you're excited to eat them (me too!), but letting them cool completely is what makes these cookies hold together when you roll them in sugar.
Use real butter, not margarine - The flavor difference is huge here. These cookies are so simple that each ingredient really matters. Splurge on the good butter!
Measure your flour correctly - Too much flour makes these cookies dry instead of tender. I spoon my flour into the measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping directly from the bag.
Try different extracts - Want to mix things up? Use almond extract instead of vanilla for a totally different (but still delicious) flavor. Or go all-in on peppermint with ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract plus the vanilla.
Make them uniform - Use a cookie scoop to keep your cookies the same size. This way they all bake evenly and you don't end up with some burnt and some underbaked. I use a tablespoon-sized scoop.
Double coat for extra pretty cookies - After the first sugar coating, let the cookies sit for an hour, then roll them again. This gives you that really thick, snow-covered look that's perfect for photos.
Keep the oven temp low - Don't be tempted to crank up the heat to bake them faster. The low temperature (325°F) is what keeps these cookies tender and prevents them from spreading.
Don't overbake - Seriously, this is the number one mistake people make! These cookies should look barely done when you take them out. They firm up as they cool.
Variations To Try With Your Snowball Cookies
Want to switch things up? These holiday snowball cookies are super flexible!
Chocolate peppermint version - Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to the dough and reduce the flour by ¼ cup. You'll get chocolatey peppermint cookies that taste like thin mints!
Add chocolate chips - Fold in ½ cup mini chocolate chips to the dough. This makes them extra rich and gives you little pockets of melted chocolate. Emily goes crazy for these.
Orange snowballs - Skip the peppermint and use 1 teaspoon orange zest plus ¼ teaspoon orange extract. Roll in plain powdered sugar. Perfect if you're not a mint person!
Nuts optional - Traditional snowball cookies (also called Mexican wedding cookies) include finely chopped pecans or walnuts. Add ½ cup finely chopped nuts to the dough if you want that classic nutty flavor.
Sugar-free option - Use powdered erythritol instead of regular powdered sugar for the coating. The cookies won't be completely sugar-free because of the chocolate and butter, but it helps!
Cranberry white chocolate - Skip the peppermint. Add ¼ cup dried cranberries (chopped fine) and ¼ cup white chocolate chips. Roll in plain powdered sugar.
Espresso snowballs - Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder to the dough. These are incredible with coffee!
Peppermint Snowball Cookies FAQs
Yes! You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it for up to 3 months. You can also bake the cookies ahead and store them in an airtight container for up to a week.
Absolutely! Crushed candy canes work perfectly in this recipe. Just make sure to crush them finely so they incorporate well into the dough and coating.
This is normal! The dough can be crumbly before baking. Simply squeeze each dough ball firmly in your hand to compress it together before rolling into shape. Make sure your butter is properly softened, not melted.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Layer cookies between parchment paper to prevent sticking and preserve the powdered sugar coating.
Recipes You May Like
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - When you want a classic cookie but don't need dozens of them. Perfect for small families or when you're trying to show some restraint (good luck with that).
- Cookie Monster Cookies - These fun, colorful cookies are a huge hit with kids! Emily asks for these at least once a month. They're soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips and M&Ms.
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies - If you love the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture of these snowball cookies but want a fruity summer version instead, try these! They're bright, fresh, and seriously addictive.
Ready To Make These Festive Cookies?
These Peppermint Snowball Cookies have become such a tradition in our house. Every year when I pull out this recipe, it feels like Christmas is officially here. The smell of butter and peppermint baking together, the powdered sugar everywhere (including on my nose - thanks, Emily), the way these cookies just melt on your tongue... it's all part of what makes the holidays special.
The best part? You don't need to be some fancy baker to make these. If you can roll dough into balls and operate an oven, you're golden. These are seriously foolproof, which is why they're my go-to recipe when I need something quick but impressive.
Give them a try this holiday season! I'd love to hear how they turn out for you. Are you team candy cane or team Wilton sprinkles? Let me know in the comments!
Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when you need it. Trust me, you'll be making these cookies on repeat once you taste them!
Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¼ cup crushed peppermints or wiltons peppermint sprinkles
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if you want a stronger peppermint taste you could do ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Wilton peppermint crunch sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven your oven 325 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet, if it's non-stick don't grease it otherwise you might consider lining it with parchment paper.
- Prepare the sugar coating by mixing the ⅓ cup powdered sugar and wilton sprinkles in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine and mix together the butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup wilton sprinkles and vanilla. Then, slowly add in the flour and salt and mix until combined and the dough is no longer crumbly.
- Scoop a tablespoon amount of dough and roll into a ball. If the dough is still kind of crumbly then squeeze the ball in your hand to stick it all together and then roll it into a ball shape. Place onto the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart, they won't spread a lot.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, just under the bottom edges start to golden. The cookie itself may not look done, do not wait for it to change in color.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before coating in the next step.
- Once completely cooled, roll the cookies in the sugar coating. Store in an airtight container.
