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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Cashew Snowball Cookies

    Published: Nov 7, 2024 · Modified: Apr 24, 2025 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    pinterst image.

    Cashew Snowball Cookies are irresistibly buttery and nutty, with a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Packed with chopped cashews and flavored with ground cardamom, these cashew cookies add an exquisite addition to any Christmas cookie tray. Plus, they're egg-free!

    Jump to Recipe
    white snowball cookies placed in a white metal tray.

    This cashew snowball cookies recipe is my own twist on the classic snowballs. Also known as Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies, these treats put a unique spin on the beloved traditional version.

    While the classic holiday recipe typically calls for walnuts or toasted pecans (like in my pecan snowball cookies), I’ve swapped in cashews for a buttery richness and added ground cardamom instead of vanilla for a distinctive, aromatic twist.

    👩‍🍳 These cashew cookies are delicious and a beloved favorite, but they can create a bit of a mess when arranged on a cookie tray or packed in a container. To solve this, I like to place each snowball in a mini muffin paper liner. Not only do they look charming, but they also make for easy storage and transport.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love it?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make cashew cookies?
    • How to store?
    • Make ahead and Freeze
    • Recipe tips
    • More cashew recipes
    • Cashew Snowball Cookies

    Why you'll love it?

    • Melt in your mouth texture
    • Buttery with crunchy cashews
    • Ground cardamom adds a unique twist
    • Eggless cookie recipe
    • Mildly sweet though it covered in powdered sugar

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    • Cashews - Use either raw or toasted cashews, but be sure to chop them finely. It’s crucial that the cashews are small enough, as larger pieces can cause the cookies to crumble when you bite into them.
    • Butter - I prefer using unsalted butter and adding my own salt, but you can easily swap in salted butter and skip the extra salt in the recipe.
    • Cardamom - As with all cardamom recipes, I prefer to grind my own cardamom at home. It’s far more fragrant and aromatic than store-bought cardamom powder.
    • Flour - Fluff your flour before measuring to prevent packing too much into your cup.
    • Powdered sugar - Also known as icing sugar or confectioners' sugar, this ingredient is essential in making snowball cookies. It sweetens the dough while contributing to the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, thanks to the cornstarch it contains. We’ll also roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar to give them that signature snowball appearance!

    How to make cashew cookies?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    a hand holding one cup of raw cashew nuts.
    Step 1 - Measure ½ cup cashew nuts.
    a hand holding one black spoonful of ground cashews above a food processor.
    Step 2 - Powder into coarse crumbs.

    👩‍🍳 Pro tip: You can finely chop the cashews with a large knife or pulse them briefly in a food processor. Just be sure not to grind them into a fine powder—some texture is key. If the pieces are too large, the cookies may fall apart when rolling.

    white flour and ground cahsews placed in a glass bowl.
    Step 3 - Add the ground cashews into a bowl along with cardamom powder and flour.
    two hands mixing white flour in a glass bowl using a black spoon.
    Step 4 - Mix with a spoon until it is evenly combined.

    a red beater beating white butter and sugar in a glass bowl.
    Step 5 - Cream butter and confectioners sugar for 3 to 4 minutes.
    two hands mixing white cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    Step 6 - Add the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together.

    👩‍🍳Pro tip: The dough can be ready to roll immediately, or may need some chilling depending on the softness of the butter. If the dough feels sticky, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. If it’s firm and doesn’t stick to your hands, you can roll it right away.

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    two hands scooping white cookie dough from a glass bowl.
    Step 7 - Measure about one tablespoon of dough.
    two hands rolling one white ball of cookie dough.
    Step 8 - Roll into a ball.
    rolled cookie balls placed on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Step 9 - Place them in a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees, until golden in color. Cool completely before rolling them in sugar.

    one baked cookie placed in a pink bowl filled with white sugar.
    Step 10 - Working with one cookie at a time, toss them in powdered sugar.

    two hands tossing one cookie dough ball in white sugar.
    Step 11 - Be sure to roll them a few times to ensure they have that perfect snowball appearance.

    👩‍🍳 Pro tip: If they're not fully coated, roll them again! You can also sift a little extra sugar over the cookies after rolling for an even more polished finish.

    white snowball cookies placed on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    white snowball cookies placed in a white metal tray.

    How to store?

    Store cashew snowball cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. I like to place each cookie in a mini cupcake liner—not only do they look charming, but they also make for easy storage and packaging, and they’re especially pretty when arranged on a Christmas cookie tray.

    Make ahead and Freeze

    My favorite part about these cashew cardamom cookies is that they can be made in advance and frozen for up to three months, making them the perfect holiday Christmas cookie. Just be sure to freeze them before coating them in powdered sugar. When you're ready to serve, let them thaw overnight at room temperature, then roll them in powdered sugar and arrange them fresh on the day of serving.

    Recipe tips

    • To ensure the powdered sugar sticks, roll the cookies a few times. I also like to sift a little extra confectioners' sugar over the finished wedding cookies to give them that perfect snowball effect.
    • Confectioner's sugar is the same as powdered sugar found in grocery stores.
    • Chop the cashews fine using a knife or a mini food processor.
    • Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to easily make uniform cookies.
    • Increase the ground cardamom if you love the flavor.
    white snowball cookies placed in a white metal tray.

    More cashew recipes

    • red colored Asian cauliflower in a sheet pan.
      Asian Roasted Cauliflower and Cashews
    • cashew mint chutney
      Cashew Mint Chutney
    • roasted cashew nuts in a white bowl.
      Roasted Cashews
    • EASY INSTANT POT CASHEW CHICKEN
      Instant Pot Cashew Chicken (Easiest Recipe)
    white snowball cookies placed on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Cashew Snowball Cookies

    Cashew Snowball Cookies are irresistibly buttery and nutty, with a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Packed with chopped cashews and flavored with ground cardamom, these cashew cookies add an exquisite addition to any Christmas cookie tray. Plus, they're egg-free!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 20 Cookies
    Calories: 96kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Equipment

    • Cookie scoop
    • Mini Food processor
    • Electric beater

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup cashew nuts
    • 1 cup all purpose flour (126 grams)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom or more if you love cardamom
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 stick unsalted butter (115 grams or ½ cup) room temperature
    • 1 cup confectioners sugar (120 grams) divided
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Pre heat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Chop the cashews - You can finely chop the cashews with a large knife or pulse them briefly in a food processor. Just be sure not to grind them into a fine powder—some texture is key. If the pieces are too large, the cookies may fall apart when rolling.
    • Add the chopped cashew nuts, all purpose flour, ground cardamom and salt into a medium bowl and stir to combine well. Set aside.
    • Add butter, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar, into a large bowl and beat with an electric beater for about 3 to 4 minutes or light and fluffy.
    • Add the combined dry ingredients and continue mixing, until the dough comes together. 
      Pro tip: The dough can be ready to roll immediately, or may need some chilling depending on the softness of the butter. If the dough feels soft, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. If it’s firm and doesn’t stick to your hands, you can roll it right away.
    • Roll about 1 tablespoon of measure dough into a smooth ball and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart.
    • Bake cookies until deep golden brown on the bottom edges but barely brown on top, about 15 to 19 minutes. Place baking pan on a wire rack and cool completely.
    • Place the remaining confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl and gently roll the cookies a few times to coat them evenly on all sides. Then, arrange them on a plate.
      Tip: If they're not fully coated, roll them again! You can also sift a little extra sugar over the cookies after rolling for an even more polished finish.

    Notes

    To make cardamom powder, grind about ¼ cup green cardamoms to a fine powder in a dry grinder and measure as needed for the recipe. I usually grind much more than that and store cardamom powder in a sealed zip lock bag and place in the freezer. This stays fresh for months.  
    Confectioner's sugar is the same as powdered sugar found in grocery stores.
    Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to easily make uniform cookies.
    Increase the ground cardamom if you love the flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

    Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment or review below or snap a photo and share on Instagram.

    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

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    Comments

    1. mcrchicago

      December 20, 2021 at 11:01 pm

      these are so easy and delicious! Will definitely make them often. One question, do you leave the green pod on the cardamom when you grind it to powder? or just the seeds inside?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 22, 2021 at 3:08 am

        Hi Mcrchicago, We grind the whole pods (along with the skin). Wishing you a very happy Holidays, Maria

        Reply
    2. Laura

      January 19, 2023 at 5:57 am

      Hi planning on making these with cardamom and ones with vanilla. What amount of vanilla do I use if not using cardamom? Let me know. Thanks

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 20, 2023 at 1:42 am

        Hi Laura, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract will work perfect. Have a wonderful day - Maria

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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