Chocolate Snowballs

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling

Makes

about 4 dozen

Updated: Dec. 13, 2023
This is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe. The cookies remind me of the snowballs I packed as a child during many cold Wisconsin winters. —Dee Derezinski, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Chocolate Snowballs Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
  • Confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
  2. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set and bottoms are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool completely on wire racks. If desired, reroll cookies in confectioners' sugar.
Test Kitchen Tips
  • We like pecans and walnuts, but you can substitute chopped pistachios, macadamia nuts or even almonds. Not a fan? You can omit the nuts and add a few more chocolate chips.
  • Learn how you can freeze extra cookies for later.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1 cookie: 92 calories, 6g fat (3g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 49mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.