This chocolate snowball cookie recipe yields the most delicious Festive Chocolate Snowball Cookies — rich, fudgy chocolate shortbread coated in powdered sugar with red and green mini M&M’s tucked inside for a crunchy surprise. They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, exchanges, or a cozy baking afternoon with family.
Why We Love These Festive Chocolate Snowball Cookies
These chocolate snowball cookies are a holiday favorite. The dough has a tender, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture that contrasts beautifully with the powdered sugar “snow” on the outside and the hidden crunch of mini M&M’s inside. They’re simple to make, kid-friendly, and always a hit at Christmas parties.
Snowball Cookie History
Snowball cookies are a classic found in many cultures under different names — Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, Italian butterballs — and recipes vary. The traditional version is an egg-free, buttery shortbread rolled in powdered sugar after baking. This chocolate variation keeps that tender shortbread base while adding cocoa and festive candy for a seasonal twist.
Ingredients You Need
Chocolate Snowball Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus additional for rolling)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark or similar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or chocolate extract)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini M&M’s (or chocolate chips or chopped nuts)
- 1½ cups additional powdered sugar for coating
How to Make Chocolate Snowball Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with a mixer, beat the softened butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix just until the dough comes together. Fold in the mini M&M’s (or chips/nuts).
- Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared cookie sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 7–10 minutes, until the bottoms are just slightly browned and the tops are no longer glossy. Be careful not to overbake — they should remain tender.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for 5–10 minutes so they set up enough to handle.
- Pour about 1 cup powdered sugar into a small bowl. Roll each warm cookie in the sugar to coat, then return to a cooling rack. When completely cool, re-roll in powdered sugar if you want a thicker “snow” coating.
Storage and Freezing
Store snowball cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze them up to 6 months. To freeze, place cookies in sturdy containers (rather than bags) to prevent them from crumbling; thaw at room temperature and recoat with powdered sugar if desired.
Pro Tips
- Watch them closely — overbaking dries these cookies out. They’ll finish setting as they cool, so remove from the oven when the tops are no longer glossy.
- Make sure the dough is not warm before baking. Warm dough spreads, and snowball cookies should stay round.
- Don’t coat with powdered sugar immediately after baking. If the cookies are too hot, the sugar will melt into them and won’t give a snowy finish. Let them cool 5–10 minutes before rolling.
These Festive Chocolate Snowball Cookies are great for involving kids — they’ll enjoy shaping the dough and rolling the cookies in powdered sugar. Expect a little mess and lots of smiles.
More Festive Dessert Recipes
- M&M Christmas Cookies
- 4 Holiday Chocolate Bark Recipes
- Keto Fluffy Lemon Mousse
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Cream Pie
- Christmas Cowboy Cookies
- Best No-Chill Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
- Homemade Pecan Sandies
Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Kim Lange
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini M&M’s (or chocolate chips or chopped nuts)
- 1½ cups additional powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla until fluffy. Add flour and salt; mix until the dough comes together. Stir in the M&M’s or other add-ins.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon balls of dough and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake 7–10 minutes until the bottoms are just slightly brown and the tops are no longer glossy.
- Remove from oven and cool 5–10 minutes until you can handle them.
- Fill a small bowl with 1 cup powdered sugar and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated. Re-roll in powdered sugar after fully cooled if desired.
Notes
- Watch the cookies closely to avoid overbaking; overbaked snowballs become dry and crumbly.
