Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies

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These Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies are the kind of treat that disappear faster than I can dust them with powdered sugar. They’re buttery, tender, and so soft that they almost collapse in your fingers before you even take a bite. The cream cheese tucked into the dough gives them a rich tang and a meltaway texture that feels like a cross between a shortbread cookie and a cheesecake bite.

I love making these for the holidays, but honestly, they’re too good to limit to just one season. The dough comes together quickly, the cookies bake up into perfect little domes, and a final roll in billowy powdered sugar makes them look like tiny snowballs on a plate. They’re elegant enough for a cookie exchange, but simple and cozy enough for a weeknight baking session.

What Makes These Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies So Tender?

Traditional snowball cookies rely on butter and nuts for their richness. When I started playing with the recipe, I added cream cheese to the dough—and that’s where the magic happens. The cream cheese adds moisture and softens the structure of the cookie, so instead of a crumbly bite, you get a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Because there’s no egg in the dough, the cookies stay pale and soft rather than chewy or crisp. Finely chopped nuts add a gentle crunch and a toasty flavor that balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar. A generous double-coating of powdered sugar not only makes them pretty, it also gives every bite a sweet, delicate finish.

Ingredients for Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies

Unsalted butter
Softened butter is the backbone of these cookies. It gives the dough structure, flavor, and that classic buttery richness that snowball cookies are known for.

Cream cheese
The secret ingredient that makes these cookies truly melt in your mouth. Cream cheese adds a slight tang and keeps the crumb tender and soft instead of dry or crumbly.

Powdered sugar
Powdered sugar sweetens the dough without any grittiness and helps create a fine, delicate texture. You’ll also use plenty of it for rolling the baked cookies so they’re completely coated in a snowy layer.

Vanilla extract
Vanilla rounds out all the buttery, creamy flavors and gives the cookies a warm, bakery-style aroma.

All-purpose flour
Flour provides structure, helping the cookies hold their round shape while still staying soft and tender on the inside.

Fine sea salt
Just a small amount of salt keeps the sweetness in check and brings out the buttery, nutty flavors.

Finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
Nuts add a gentle crunch and a toasted, nutty note that plays beautifully with the cream cheese and butter. They also give a little extra body to these bite-size cookies.

Additional powdered sugar for rolling
Rolling the warm cookies in powdered sugar helps it cling to the surface, and a second roll after they’ve cooled completely gives them that bakery-perfect snowball look.

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How To Make Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pans

I start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. This keeps the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup much easier. Because these cookies don’t spread much, you can fit quite a few on one tray.

Step 2: Cream the Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, I beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until they’re smooth, creamy, and completely combined. Then I add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. This step is key—properly creaming introduces air that keeps the cookies light instead of dense.

Step 3: Add the Vanilla and Dry Ingredients

Next, I mix in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, I whisk together the flour and salt so they’re evenly distributed. I add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in two additions, mixing on low just until the dough comes together. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so once the streaks of flour disappear, I stop.

Step 4: Fold in the Nuts and Chill the Dough

With a spatula, I fold in the finely chopped pecans until they’re evenly scattered through the dough. The mixture will be soft but not sticky. For the best texture and round shape, I like to chill the dough for about 30 minutes. Chilling helps the fats firm up so the cookies hold their domed snowball look in the oven.

Step 5: Shape the Snowballs

Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, I portion the dough into small balls, about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. I roll each portion between my palms until it’s smooth and round, then place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.

Step 6: Bake Until Set but Pale

The cookies bake for about 10–12 minutes, just until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops look set but not browned. They should hold their shape and feel slightly firm around the edges while still soft in the center. I let them sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before moving on.

Step 7: Roll in Powdered Sugar (Twice!)

While the cookies are still warm but cool enough to handle, I gently roll each one in a bowl of powdered sugar until it’s fully coated. The warmth helps the sugar adhere like a thin glaze. After the cookies have cooled completely on a wire rack, I roll them a second time for that thick, snowy finish.

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Serving and Storing Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies

I love serving these cookies on a simple platter with a dusting of extra powdered sugar and maybe a sprig of greenery or a few cranberries if it’s the holiday season. They pair beautifully with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or a mug of spiced tea.

Because they’re rich and bite-sized, a small serving goes a long way, which makes them perfect for cookie trays and dessert buffets. They also hold up well at room temperature, so you can pack them into tins for gifting or bring them along to parties and potlucks.

To store, I keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If your kitchen is very warm, you can refrigerate them, but bring them back to room temperature before serving so the texture softens again. These cookies also freeze well: freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature and, if needed, give them a light extra tumble in powdered sugar before serving.

What to Serve With Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies

Rich Hot Chocolate or Mocha

The creamy, buttery cookies are made for dipping into a mug of hot chocolate or mocha. The warmth of the drink softens the cookie even more for an extra-indulgent bite.

Coffee or Espresso Drinks

A strong cup of coffee, cappuccino, or espresso is the perfect contrast to the sweetness of these cookies. I especially love serving them alongside a latte for an easy, elegant dessert.

Holiday Cookie Tray

Add these snowball cookies to a holiday cookie platter with brownies, bars, and decorated sugar cookies. Their snowy coating and round shape add variety in both texture and appearance.

Ice Cream Sundaes

Crumble a few snowball cookies over vanilla or caramel ice cream. The buttery, nutty crumbs become an instant cookie topping that tastes like streusel.

Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream

For a lighter dessert plate, serve a couple of cookies with a handful of fresh berries and a dollop of softly whipped cream. It feels fancy but is effortless.

Cheesecake or Creamy Desserts

Because these cookies echo the flavor of cheesecake thanks to the cream cheese, they pair beautifully with slices of cheesecake, mousse cups, or panna cotta on a dessert table.

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Want More Cookie Ideas with a Twist?

If you love these tender cream cheese snowball cookies, you’ll probably enjoy these other sweet favorites from the blog:

• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies when you’re craving an ultra-fudgy, bakery-style cookie with crisp edges and a soft center.
• Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Santa Cookies for a festive, kid-friendly cookie that comes together quickly with cake mix.
• Two Ingredient Lemon Bars whenever you want a bright, citrusy treat with minimal effort.
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes if you love warm spices and coffee-shop flavors in dessert form.

Mix and match these with today’s snowball cookies for an unforgettable dessert spread.

Save This Pin For Later

📌 Save this recipe to your Pinterest dessert or holiday cookie board so you can come back to it any time.

When you bake them, I’d love to hear how they turn out. Did you stick with pecans, swap in walnuts, or skip the nuts altogether? Did you add a flavor twist like almond extract or orange zest?

Share your tweaks and questions in the comments so we can keep inspiring each other with new baking ideas. And if you can’t get enough cozy sweets, come hang out with me on ChefAlchemy on Pinterest where I share even more cookie recipes, desserts, and everyday baking inspiration.

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