Five simple ingredients, one bowl, and a whole lot of melt-in-your-mouth magic. These Easy Nut-Free Vegan Snowball Cookies are my allergy-friendly twist on the classic holiday cookie—soft, buttery, snowy, and unbelievably simple. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, hosting a cookie swap, or just craving something sweet with minimal effort, this is the recipe you’ll want bookmarked all year long.
As an allergy-friendly baker who has spent nearly two decades developing recipes for families, I’m always looking to recreate nostalgic favourites in ways that are safe, accessible, and just as delicious as the original. These snowball cookies check all the boxes: quick, fun to make with kids, completely dairy-free and nut-free, and irresistibly tender.
Why I Created This Recipe
Snowball cookies have always been a cozy holiday staple in my kitchen. But the traditional version usually contains two things I avoid: butter and nuts. With nut allergies in my own home and a personal intolerance to several varieties, I knew I wanted to recreate a version that stayed true to the classic texture – soft, crumbly, delicate – but removed the biggest allergens.
The first time I tested this nut-free vegan version, my kids immediately declared them “snowy little clouds.” And honestly, that description has stuck. They’re that soft.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
These are the perfect cookies to snack on when you need a sweet treat, or if you are creating a cookie gift box for the holidays or any other occasion. And with 5 basic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, you can whip up this batch in no time at all.
These melt-in-your-mouth snowball cookies are:
- Perfect for any occasion—from everyday treats to holiday gift boxes.
- Quick and easy to make—just 5 pantry staples and under 30 minutes!
- Inclusive—nut-free, dairy-free, and vegan, making them suitable for various dietary needs.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Before you start baking, let’s take a deeper look at the ingredients and why each one matters. Adding ingredient context is one of my favourite ways to help readers feel more confident in the kitchen.
Butter: My go-to is unsalted plant based butter. Sub with regular dairy butter if you’re not vegan.
Icing Sugar: half is mixed in the cookie dough to create the melt in the mouth consistency. The other half is used to coat the snowballs once baked.
All Purpose Flour: sub with your preferred gluten free flour if required.
Vanilla Bean Paste: adds a rich flavour to the cookies. You can use extract if you prefer.
Salt: a pinch of salt helps to balance the sweetness. Omit if you are using salted butter.
How to Make the Best Nut Free Snowball Cookies
Using only 5 ingredients, this recipe comes together quickly so I recommend gathering all your ingredients and preheating your oven to 375F / 190C before starting.
I chose to make the cookie dough in a stand mixer but you could easily make this with a handheld mixer or even by hand. Mix the butter for a couple of minutes to soften it up. Then add the icing sugar and some vanilla bean paste.
Mix together until everything is fully combined then add in the final two ingredients: all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt.
Give everything a final mix, then scrape down the mixing bowl and attachment.
To make the snowballs, I used a teaspoon and rolled the dough in my hands to roughly one inch in size. Place them on your pre-lined baking tray and continue until all of the dough has been used up.
Once your trays are full, bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes until they’re lightly golden brown.
Let them cool for about five minutes then we’re going to turn them into snowballs by coating them in icing sugar.
My kids always want to help at this stage and it can get a bit messy but that’s all part of the fun. Ensure that the tops and the bottoms and all the way around on the sides are coated, then pop the cookies back on to the baking tray to let them cool completely before eating them.
And I must admit that we did sneak a couple of these straight away and they do taste amazing when slightly warm!
Storage Tips
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
You can also freeze the raw doughballs to enjoy at a later date – just add a couple of minutes to the baking time when you’re ready to try them.
Serving Suggestions
Snowball cookies are wonderful when served with a cup of hot chocolate, a warm glass of oat milk or alongside other festive treats.
Common Questions
This recipe makes approximately 30 1-inch size snowball cookies. Check the recipe card to scale up the ingredients for larger batches.
Yes! Simply swap the all purpose flour with your preferred gluten free flour.
I have intolerances to several types of nuts and generally avoid them in baking (aside from almonds). Feel free to add nuts to this recipe if you are not nut-free.
Absolutely. I recommend flash freezing the raw dough balls on the baking tray then popping them in a resealable bag for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, place on a lined baking tray and bake from frozen for 20 to 22 minutes until lightly golden.
Recommended Recipes
Thinking of gifting cookies for the holidays? Or even creating a treat box for a special occasion? I often pair these snowball cookies with these family favourites:
- Pink and White Coconut Ice (DF, GF, Vegan)
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies (Vegan)
- Orange Cranberry Biscotti (Nut Free, DF)
- Vanilla Fudge (GF, Vegan)
- Candy Cane Shortbread (Vegan)
- Festive Rice Krispie Squares (Vegan)
I hope you enjoyed reading this recipe post for my easy nut free vegan snowball cookies. Leave a comment and let me know what your favourite holiday cookies are.
Happy Baking!
Easy Nut Free Vegan Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 225 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted)
- 65 grams Icing Sugar (to add to the cookie dough)
- 65 grams Icing Sugar (for coating the cookies)
- 280 grams All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F / 190C and gather all of the ingredients.
- Add 225 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted) to a mixing bowl and stir for a few minutes to soften.
- Add 65 grams Icing Sugar and 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste and mix until combined.
- Add 280 grams All Purpose Flour and Pinch Salt and mix until fully incorprated.
- Using a teaspoon, roll balls of dough then place on a lined baking sheet. Continue to make the balls until you have used all of the dough,
- Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes then coat the cookies in 65 grams Icing Sugar, making sure that all sides are covered. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes approximately 30 small snowball cookies.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the raw dough balls to bake at a later date. I recommend flash freezing the dough balls on the baking tray then placing them in a resealable bag for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, place on a lined baking tray and bake from frozen for 20 to 22 minutes until lightly golden.
- Gluten Free: substitute the all purpose flour with your preferred gluten free flour.
- Recommended Recipes: Thinking of making a cookie gifting box? This recipe pairs well with the following small bites: Coconut Ice, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Orange Cranberry Biscotti, Vanilla Fudge, Candy Cane Shortbread.
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