These gluten-free snowball cookies are easy to make and have a delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture. They’re perfect for any occasion, but they’re especially festive during the holiday season and will add a beautiful touch to your Christmas cookie platter. Be sure to try Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies for another yummy and festive cookie.
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you'll get more yummy recipes every week!
Jump to:
Ingredients:
- Gluten-Free Flour: My favorite gluten-free & dairy-free flour blends to use are Pamela’s Artisan Blend and Better Batter. I’ve been using them both with great results. They are both a 1-1 substitute. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum. If not, add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour.
Dairy-Free Butter: Suggested brands are Country Crock Plant Buuter, Smart Balance, or Earth Balance. Sit it out on the countertop for 10-20 minutes to soften it slightly to a cool room temperature. Use real butter if you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free. - Pecans: You can buy pecan halves or pieces. You’ll roast these and then run them through a food processor to chop finely.
- Confectioner’s sugar: Confectioner’s sugar is in the cookie dough and used to roll the finished cookies in.
Instructions
Start by roasting the pecans in the oven at 300° for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once they’re cool, finely chop them in a food processor.
Next, use a stand mixer to cream together the buttery spread and confectioner’s sugar, and then mix in the vanilla extract.
While the mixer is running at low speed, slowly add the gluten-free flour and salt and mix until well combined. Then add in the finely chopped pecans. Again, mix until completely combined.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a baking sheet. These will not spread too much, so you can put several on a baking sheet. Just leave a couple of inches for the air to circulate well while they’re baking.
Bake for 11-12 minutes and then let cool for 5 minutes on the pan. After 5 minutes, roll them in the confectioner’s sugar while still warm, and then let them cool. Once they are completely cool, roll the cookies in the confectioner’s sugar a second time, I know some like to roll them a third time, but I’ll leave that up to you.
Once they are completely cool, roll the cookies in the confectioner’s sugar a second time. I know some like to roll them a third time, but I’ll leave that up to you.
Freeze: They can also be frozen for 2-3 months.
More gluten-free cookies you’ll love
And be sure to see my collection of 12 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies!
Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies (Dairy-Free)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These classic gluten-free snowball cookies will add a beautiful festive touch to your holiday Christmas cookie platter.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pecan halves or pieces
- 1 cup dairy-free butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°. Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once they’re cool, finely chop them in a food processor.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Next, use a stand mixer to cream together the buttery spread and powdered sugar, and then mix in the vanilla extract.
- While the mixer is running on low speed, slowly add the gluten-free flour and salt and mix until well combined. Then add in the finely chopped pecans. Again, mix until completely combined.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a baking sheet. These will not spread too much, so you can put several on a baking sheet. Just leave a couple of inches for the air to circulate well while they’re baking.
- Bake at 350° for 11-12 minutes, and then let cool for 5 minutes on the pan. After 5 minutes, roll them in powdered sugar while still warm, and then let them cool. Once they are completely cool, roll the cookies in the powdered sugar a second time.
Notes
My favorite gluten-free & dairy-free flour blends to use are Pamela’s Artisan Blend and Better Batter. I’ve been using them both with great results. They are both a 1-1 substitute. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum. If not, add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour.
If you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free, you can use real butter.
These can be frozen for 2-3 months.
You may also enjoy
Miranda
I was thinking of making these with chopped up peppermints instead of nuts to take to my daughters school (but allergies)
Do you think that would be good?
MamaShire
It sounds good but I’m not sure it would work. Since the nuts are ground up they are so much a part of what makes this cookie work that you might want to try a different recipe.
Miranda
Thanks! I ended up making paper mâché snowmen, lol. I do plan to try the recipe with the nuts for Christmas at our house!
joyce
can these be made using powdered erythritol in place of the confectioner’s sugar?
MamaShire
I personally haven’t tried that but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Vickie
I just made these for a ladies’ tea I will be attending tomorrow. They are fantastic. Once again you have made living life gluten free taste great. I have tried many of your recipes and they have always turned out great. Thank you.
MamaShire
Oh, thank you! I’m so glad to help.
Alex
Has anyone made with coconut oil ?
MamaShire
I haven’t tried it with coconut oil. I am going to be going through my recipes to have an option of a fat that is seed oil free. But it will take a little while. Thanks for asking.