Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies (Classic Recipe)

Wendy Stoltz

/ Last Modified On January 14, 2024

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Let's talk about how to make Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies. These seasonal favorites are buttery and crunchy. . . a perfect winter treat. These gluten free snowballs, also known as gluten free Mexican wedding cookies, are easy to make and they are perfectly sweet. I'm happy to share my gluten-free snowball cookie recipe!

If you love holiday cookies you'll want to make my Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies. They're some of my family's favorites. And you can use the same recipe to build a ginger-bread house! And for those with a chocolate craving, try my Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. They're perfect any time of year.

Table of Contents

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookie Recipe

You know those little ball-shaped cookies dipped in powdered sugar that have been super popular at holiday gatherings the past 40 years? They're a Christmas classic, celebrated for their nostalgic flavor, and they melt in your mouth.

Yes, this recipe produces those little mouthwatering, palate-satisfying cookies, and they’re gluten‐free!

Gluten Free Snowball cookies are a traditional Christmas cookie that have been around for generations. There's a reason they're so popular. The taste!

Here's a fun fact: They're also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, and Italian Wedding Cookies.

In my house, we typically make gluten free snowball cookies for Christmas day and often make extra to share with friends as a holiday gift.

And there are several ways to give these a personal flair. If you can't have pecans, you can use sliced and chopped almonds, or walnuts.

Dairy Free Snowball Cookies

Make these gluten free snowball cookies dairy-free by using a dairy-free butter instead of regular butter. I've tried vegan butter in the past with good results.

Working with Gluten-Free Flours

When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour. The best method really is to weigh the gluten-free flour but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.

My friends at Beyond Celiac have also talked about whether almond flour is gluten-free (it is). So that's also an option if you haven't already tried it.

I'll also share some tips for gluten-free flour below. It's your choice whether to use store bought or make your own.

Gluten-Free Flour Blends for Making Cookies

For this gluten free snowball cookie recipe I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour (not their all purpose gluten free flour).

I've also used my gluten free flour blend + 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. You can use your preferred gluten free flour to make these gluten free snowball cookies. Just make sure that yours has xanthan gum in it. That's what helps it maintain consistency.

If your gluten-free flour doesn't contain xanthan gum, simply add 1 teaspoon to the flour mixture.

How to Make Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

So let's talk about the steps. My recipe doesn't take too long. If you have the ingredients, a stand mixer (or hand mixer), some parchment paper, and an oven, you're already most of the way there. Here's what to do:

In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the ½ cup powdered sugar, gluten free flour, and xanthan gum (omit if using a blend with xanthan included).
Add the flour mixture to the butter.
Work the flour into the butter mixture. It may appear to be too dry, you may need to use your hands.
Stir in the chopped nuts.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls, and place them two inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 16–18 minutes until set, but not brown. Immediately remove from the cookie sheet to a wire rack.
Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar.

You can roll these gluten free snowball cookies in powdered sugar a second time, if you wish.

Freezing Snowball Cookies

Some people ask whether you can freeze snowball cookies. In short, yes! You can make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before you roll the dough into balls.

You can also store baked snowball cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring them to room temperature before rolling in powdered sugar. This is an easy way to save time during the holidays. Just set aside some time well beforehand, then freeze the dough.

Baking Mat Recommendations

While I use parchment paper for most of my gluten-free cookies, you can also use silicone mats. Some people prefer these because they're reusable. It's your choice, and it shouldn't make much of a difference to the finished product. I've used these Amazon Basics mats in the past. They work well.

Tips for Making Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

Here are a few of my favorite tips for making gluten-free snowball cookies. I learned these from experience. Trust me, they'll save you so much time! These are some of my all-time favorite gluten-free cookies. I hope you enjoy them too!

Room temperature ingredients works best.
The butter should be at room temperature, not hard and not melted.
When you add the flour to the butter mixture, you'll want to first stir it. The dough will appear dry. You'll need to work it the rest of the way with your hands.
Make sure the nuts are finely chopped before you work them into the cookie dough.
Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop for uniform cookies.

Did you make these gluten free snowball cookies? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar
2¼ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if using a blend with xanthan gum)
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, or almonds)
½ cup powdered sugar for rolling cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the ½ cup powdered sugar, gluten free flour, and xanthan gum (omit if using a blend with xanthan included).
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
Work the flour into the butter mixture. You may need to use your hands.
Add the chopped nuts. Continue to work the dough until it sticks together and the butter is well incorperated.
Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place them two inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 16–18 minutes until set, but not brown. Immediately remove from the cookie sheet to a wire rack.
Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar. If desired, roll cookies a second time in powdered sugar.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour or you'll end up with TOO MUCH FLOUR and your cookies will be dry.
Make sure your flour is at room temperature or it will absorb too much of the wet ingredients.
Dairy-Free Option: Use dairy-free butter to make this dairy-free.
Nut Options: If you can't have pecans, you can use chopped walnuts or sliced and chopped almonds.
Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you begin.
For this gluten free snowball cookie recipe I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour (not their all purpose gluten free flour). I've also used my gluten free flour blend + 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 cookie
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 143Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.

Make Next:Gluten-Free Panettone

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Thanks for sharing!

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies (Classic Recipe) – Gluten-Free Palate (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from falling apart? ›

Chilling helps the flours and xanthan gum absorb liquid, which makes the dough sturdier and easier to handle. Without a proper rest, your cookies are likely to crumble. Think of mix-ins as the Spanx of the cookie world. They are a sly way to ensure that your cookies look like cookies, not misshapen gluten-free blobs.

Read On ›

Why did my gluten-free cookies not rise? ›

13- Make sure your baking soda and/or baking powder are fresh. These are the leavening agents in your cookie recipe and if they are no longer active, your cookies won't puff up and may spread more. Try a fresh container if they've been open longer than 3 months. 14- Use a tried and true gluten free cookie mix.

Know More ›

Why are my gluten-free cookies so dry? ›

Gluten-free baked goods have earned the reputation of being dry and gritty. That grit—that evil grit! —is the result of gluten-free flours that are often high in starches and rice flour, which take longer to absorb moisture than regular “gluten” flour.

Discover More ›

Is a snowball gluten-free? ›

Additional Info. Gluten free!. 65 Calories per snowball. Mallow covered in chocolate flavoured coating and decorated with the finest coconut.

Explore More ›

How to make gluten-free cookies less dry and crumbly? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

Read The Full Story ›

What holds gluten-free cookies together? ›

As I mentioned, you'll need a 1-to-1 / measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend to make this gluten free sugar cookie recipe. When you see the term “1-to-1” or “measure-for-measure” it usually indicates that the flour contains a binder such as xanthan gum to keep your baked goods from falling apart.

Find Out More ›

Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

How to get gluten-free cookies to rise? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Explore More ›

Why do gluten-free cookies taste weird? ›

Any taste differences also depend on which flour or flours are used and in what proportions. The variety of gluten-free flours is advantageous in that they can be blended to achieve the results that bakers want. Baking with gluten-free flour will produce some slight differences in taste or texture.

What is the trick to gluten-free baking? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Should I refrigerate gluten free cookie dough before baking? ›

Gluten-free cookie dough is stickier than standard cookie dough, but chilling it can help. This is because cold dough is less sticky, and it doesn't spread as easily, too.

Learn More ›

Can celiacs eat vanilla ice cream? ›

Generally, plain single flavour ice cream flavours such as strawberry, vanilla or chocolate are more likely to be gluten free. If the ice cream contains baked products, such as cookie dough or brownies, then it is more likely to contain gluten.

Can celiacs eat ice cream cake? ›

It depends on the cake. Some ice cream cakes contain cake, which is made from wheat flour and is not gluten-free. Others use ice cream made with additives that are not safe for a gluten-free diet. If you're not sure, check the ingredients label and look for gluten-containing ingredients.

See Details ›

Are Reese's Blizzards gluten free? ›

Please know, many of our Blizzard® candies and toppings contain wheat, rye, oats, and/or barley and would not be safe for a customer with gluten intolerance. As the Blizzard® machine is used for all flavors, cross-contamination may occur on any flavor Blizzard®.

Tell Me More ›

Why is gluten-free baking crumbly? ›

Dry, crumbly loaf- you may need more liquid (see above), fat or binder. Gluten free bread dough needs more fat than wheat bread dough whether it's oil, butter or something else. So if your bread is dry, simply add more fat to get a better crumb.

Explore More ›

Why do my no bake cookies fall apart? ›

A: Chances are if the no-bakes turned out dry and crumbly it was because you overcooked them.

Keep Reading ›

How do you keep gluten-free cake from falling apart? ›

Xanthan gum (along with other thickeners like guar gum and arrowroot) acts like a binder in gluten-free baked goods to maintain their structure. Without it, there's a good chance that your brownies or muffin will crumble and fall apart.

Know More ›

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies (Classic Recipe) – Gluten-Free Palate (2024)

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookie Recipe

Dairy Free Snowball Cookies

Working with Gluten-Free Flours

Gluten-Free Flour Blends for Making Cookies

How to Make Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

Freezing Snowball Cookies

Baking Mat Recommendations

Tips for Making Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

did you make this recipe?

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from falling apart? ›

What is the trick to gluten-free baking? ›

References