These pillowy-soft Red Velvet Snowball Cookies are buttery, lightly chocolatey, and rolled in a thick coat of powdered sugar that makes them look like little snowballs fresh from a winter storm. I first made these for a Christmas cookie exchange three years ago, and they disappeared faster than any other cookie on the table.They come together with simple pantry ingredients and taste just as fancy as anything you'd find at a bakery.
If you love festive treats, you'll also want to try these Best Cherry Snowball Cookies Ready in 15 minutes! or these rich Stamped Chocolate Espresso Cookies for your holiday spread.
What Are Red Velvet Snowball Cookies?
Red Velvet Snowball Cookies combine the classic flavors of red velvet cake with the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture of traditional snowball cookies. They get their signature red hue from food coloring and a subtle chocolate flavor from cocoa powder, while the powdered sugar coating gives them that snowy, festive look. Unlike cakey Red Velvet Snowball Cookies, these are dense and buttery with a soft crumb that practically dissolves on your tongue.
Jump to:
- What Are Red Velvet Snowball Cookies?
- Red Velvet Snowball Cookies Ingredients
- How to Make Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
- Easy Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment For Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
- How to Store Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- A Family Story About These Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
Red Velvet Snowball Cookies Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make these festive Red Velvet Snowball Cookies.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For ingtedient Quantites
Butter: Softened butter creates the rich, tender texture that makes these cookies melt in your mouth. Make sure it's at room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar.
Powdered sugar: You'll use some in the dough for sweetness and the rest for coating the baked cookies. The fine texture keeps these cookies delicate.
Egg: Binds everything together and adds moisture to the dough.
Cocoa powder: Gives these cookies their subtle chocolate flavor without overpowering the red velvet taste.
Baking powder: Helps the cookies puff up slightly while baking and keeps them tender.
Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors.
All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookies and gives them that soft, crumbly texture.
Red food coloring: Creates that signature red velvet color. Don't skip this, it's what makes them festive.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to the flavor.
White vinegar: This is a classic red velvet ingredient that reacts with the cocoa powder to enhance the color and add a subtle tang.
How to Make Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
These Red Velvet Snowball Cookies are simple to make and the freezing step is key to getting that perfect texture.
Prep your baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside so it's ready when you need it.
Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through to make sure everything mixes evenly.
Add dry ingredients: Turn the mixer to low speed and add the egg, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix until everything just comes together and you don't see any dry flour streaks.
Mix in color and flavorings: Add the red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar to the dough. Keep mixing until the dough looks crumbly but holds together when you squeeze it into a ball. The color should be evenly distributed throughout.
Shape the dough: Use a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) to portion out the dough, then roll each portion into a smooth ball with your hands. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on your prepared baking sheet.
Freeze the dough: Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for 15 minutes. This firms up the dough so the cookies hold their shape better while baking.
Preheat oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake: Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops look set and dry but the cookies still feel slightly soft in the center. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them.
Coat in sugar: Put the remaining 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar in a medium bowl. While the cookies are still slightly warm, gently roll each one in the powdered sugar until it's completely coated.
Cool completely: Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a wire rack and let them cool all the way down. The powdered sugar will set into that beautiful snowy finish.
Easy Substitutions and Variations
Different food coloring: If you want to make these for other holidays, try green food coloring for St. Patrick's Day or pastel colors for Easter. The flavor stays the same.
Cream cheese addition: For an extra tangy red velvet flavor, you can add 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese to the butter mixture when creaming.
Chocolate chips: Fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips after mixing the dough for extra texture.
Almond extract: Replace half the vanilla extract with almond extract for a more complex flavor.
Equipment For Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
You'll need a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar properly. A medium cookie scoop makes portioning the dough easy and keeps all the cookies the same size. Parchment paper prevents sticking and makes cleanup simple. A wire rack is important for cooling the cookies so air can circulate around them.
How to Store Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
Store these Red Velvet Snowball Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. They actually taste even better on day two after the flavors have had time to settle. If you want to make them ahead, you can freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Just let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls for up to 1 month. When you're ready to bake them, add an extra 3 to 5 minutes to the baking time (so 15 to 17 minutes total) and bake them straight from frozen.
Serving Suggestions
These Red Velvet Snowball Cookies are perfect on their own with a glass of cold milk or a cup of hot cocoa. They also look beautiful on a holiday cookie platter next to Raspberry Lemon Cookies or Easy Creme Brûlée Cookies. For an extra-special treat, serve them alongside vanilla ice cream or with a drizzle of melted white chocolate on top. Kids love dunking them in milk until they get soft and creamy.
Expert Tips
Don't skip the freezing step. Those 15 minutes in the freezer help the cookies keep their round shape and prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
Roll while warm. The powdered sugar sticks best when the cookies are still slightly warm from the oven. If they cool completely, the sugar won't coat as well.
Use room temperature butter. Cold butter won't cream properly and your cookies will turn out dense. The butter should be soft enough that you can press your finger into it easily.
Check for doneness carefully. These Red Velvet Snowball Cookies should look set on top but still feel a little soft in the center when you take them out. They'll firm up as they cool.
Add extra sugar if needed. If the first coat of powdered sugar gets absorbed, you can roll them a second time for an extra-snowy look.
A Family Story About These Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
Last December, my seven-year-old Liam decided he wanted to help me bake cookies for his class party. I handed him the bottle of red food coloring and told him to add one tablespoon to the dough. He squeezed the entire bottle in before I could stop him, turning the dough a shade of red so intense it looked radioactive.
"Liam, that's way too much!" I said, laughing even though I was a little panicked.
He just grinned at me. "Now they're SUPER red velvet cookies, Mom."
We rolled with it (literally), and when those Red Velvet Snowball Cookies came out of the oven and got their powdered sugar coats, they looked incredible. His teacher later told me three kids asked if they were made with "real velvet." Liam was so proud he told everyone his cookies were famous now. I didn't have the heart to mention the food coloring mishap.
FAQ
What is the secret to soft snowball cookies?
The secret is using plenty of butter and not overbaking them. Take the cookies out when they still look slightly underdone in the center, they'll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet. Freezing the dough before baking also helps keep them tender. My grandma always said the softest cookies are the ones you almost think you took out too early.
How to turn red velvet cupcake mix into cookies?
You can use a red velvet cake mix to make quick Red Velvet Snowball Cookies by mixing one box of cake mix with ½ cup of vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Roll the dough into balls, bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, and roll in powdered sugar while warm. They won't taste exactly like these from-scratch cookies, but they're a fun shortcut when you're in a hurry.
What nationality are snowball cookies?
Snowball cookies (also called Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, or butterballs) have variations in many cultures. The version with powdered sugar coating is most commonly associated with Mexican and European baking traditions. Each culture has its own twist, but they all share that tender, buttery texture.
What are common red velvet cookie mistakes?
The biggest mistakes are using too much flour (which makes them dry), not letting the butter soften properly (which ruins the texture), and overbaking them (which makes them hard instead of soft). Another common issue is not mixing the food coloring in completely, which leaves you with streaky cookies. Make sure to scrape down the bowl and mix until the color is totally even.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
Red Velvet Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 ⅔ cups powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed.
- Lower the mixer speed and add the egg, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix until just combined. Then add the food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar, mixing until the dough becomes crumbly but holds together when squeezed.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough with a medium cookie scoop and roll into a ball. Place the dough balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are set and slightly dry. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, place the remaining powdered sugar. Gently roll each cookie in the sugar to coat evenly.
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