Walnut Snowball Cookies (Besitos de Nuez)
These walnut snowball cookies are buttery, delicate, and packed with toasted walnut flavor. Once cooled, they are completely covered in powdered sugar for that classic snowy finish and soft, crumbly bite.
💛 Génesis made these besitos de nuez for us at La Cocina de Keesha Studio. Toasting the walnuts first gives these simple cookies a much deeper, nuttier flavor.
If you love homemade cookies, try our Chocolate Lava Cookies with Fudge Sauce, Hot Cocoa Cookies With Cocoa Frosting, and Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Reindeer too.
Tips & Tricks
- Toast the walnuts first: This brings out much more of their natural flavor.
- Let the nuts cool before grinding: Warm nuts can release their oils more quickly and become pasty.
- Do not overprocess: Stop once the walnuts look finely ground.
- Avoid overmixing the dough: Mix only until everything holds together for a more delicate texture.
- Wait until the cookies cool: Powdered sugar gives a cleaner, prettier coating once the cookies are no longer hot.
Why Toast the Walnuts?
Toasting makes the walnuts more fragrant and gives them a deeper, richer flavor before they are added to the dough.
Because the nuts are ground finely, that toasted flavor spreads through every bite rather than appearing only in occasional pieces.
For more buttery treats to add to a dessert tray, try our Christmas Butter Cookies, Guava and White Chocolate NY Cookies, and Hazelnut Cream Stuffed NY Cookies.
How to Store
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If some of the powdered sugar absorbs during storage, dust them again before serving.
FAQs about Walnut Snowball Cookies
Walnut Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
For Walnut Snowball Cookies
- 1 cup walnuts 120 g
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar 75 g
- 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour 330 g
- Unsalted butter, softened, quantity to confirm
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Additional powdered sugar, for coating
Instructions
How to Make Walnut Snowball Cookies
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toast the Walnuts: Lightly toast the chopped walnuts until fragrant. Let them cool before continuing.
- Process: Add the cooled walnuts to a food processor and pulse until finely ground into a walnut meal. Avoid processing so long that they turn into nut butter.
- Cream the Butter: Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and salt and mix just until the dough starts to come together.
- Add the Walnuts: Mix in the ground toasted walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape: Portion the dough and roll it into small balls. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each cookie.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 15 minutes. If your oven runs a little cooler, they may need up to 20 minutes.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool completely before coating them.
- Coat with Sugar: Roll each cooled cookie generously in powdered sugar until completely covered.
