Keto Snowball Cookies Recipe (Healthy, Vegan & Gluten-Free)
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Time to read: 10 min
Snowball Cookies Recipe with Detox Desserts ingredient Swaps
Keto Snowball Cookies Recipe (Healthy, Vegan & Gluten-Free)
30 min
20 min
10 - (Makes about 20, 1” cookies)
Cookies
Table of Content
Why you will love this Healthy Snowball Cookies Recipe Recommended Products for the Best Snowball Cookies Recipe How the Sugar-Free Snowball Cookies made with Detox Desserts measures up against other recipes How I crafted the perfect Vegan Snowball Cookies Recipe The best ingredients & substitutions for the perfect gluten-free snowball cookies Try Our Gluten-free, Vegan, Paleo AND Keto Baking System Step-by-step: How to make Healthy Snowball Cookies How to store your Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies How to make your Vegan Snowball Cookies stand out Tips for making the best Sugar-Free & Vegan Snowball Cookies Recipe Card: Healthy Snowball Cookies (Gluten-free, Vegan & Sugar-free) Nutritional Information Explore more recipes
Why you will love this Healthy Snowball Cookies Recipe
Snowball cookies are elegant, festive, and one of the simplest cookies to make. It's a sugar dusted shortbread that only requires a few ingredients and comes together easily without any fancy techniques or kitchen equipment. They travel well, store well, and look beautiful piled high on any holiday platter.
There are many variations and names for this cookie. Depending on where you live, you might have heard them called Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Butterballs, or Snowdrops. Whatever you decide to call them, let me warn you, it’s virtually impossible to stop at just one, they are incredibly delicious!
No holiday cookie assortment would be complete without these crumbly, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. This recipe for sugar-free snowball cookies makes dense, buttery, vanilla kissed cookies perfectly balanced with toasted pecans with just a hint of almond extract. It's a detoxed version of a classic Christmas cookie that is guaranteed to be remembered and requested year after year.
Recommended Products for the Best Snowball Cookies Recipe
How the Sugar-Free Snowball Cookies made with Detox Desserts measures up against other recipes
The Detox Desserts Flour Swap makes it easy to turn these snowball cookies gluten-free and promotes healthy digestion. The psyllium husk (Flour Swap) and inulin (Egg and Sugar Swap) work to feed and increase friendly gut bacteria. Plenty of good flora in your intestines helps promote a strong immune system along with digestive benefits. Whole psyllium husk binds waste and toxins in the intestines and helps clear them from the body. This easy recipe for vegan snowball cookies is not only free from the unhealthy ingredients found in traditional desserts but it’s actually gently detoxifying to the body…double win!
The plant soluble fiber (psyllium husk) and digestive resistant fiber (inulin) work synergistically to slow down digestion of this healthy cookie. Slowed digestion and nutrient absorption provides more blood sugar stability throughout your day which can keep you feeling full and satisfied. This also keeps energy levels consistent and prevents the sugar crash one would experience with a traditional, carb-loaded cookie.
I’ve tested this sugar free snowball cookies recipe with Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour Swap a few times. The Whole-Grain cookies will have a few extra slowly digesting carbs and a hearty flavor that comes from the buckwheat. The Grain-Free Flour will provide the lowest carb version and has a slightly sweeter, nutty flavor. I love this recipe using both flours (½ cup Whole-Grain plus ½ cup Grain-Free Flour to equal the full 1 cup of Flour Swap the recipe calls for) because it creates a flavor and texture profile most similar to the traditional cookie.
For the majority of my patients, I’m an advocate of balanced macronutrient meals. Here’s an easy way to choose your Flour Swap to create a balanced macro meal that incorporates dessert. We’ll use dinner as an example. If your dinner consists of just protein and veggies, I recommend eating dessert made with Whole-Grain Flour Swap to serve as your healthy carb source. Conversely, if you already had a carb with dinner (quinoa, sweet potato, beans, etc), I would recommend a Grain-Free dessert so you don’t overeat carbs at that meal. Easy, right?!
Balanced macro meals are the best thing you can do to keep your metabolism firing optimally, create blood sugar stability, and keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout your day (or night). If you’re a diabetic or need to stay in ketosis, always bake using the Grain-Free Flour Swap.
How I crafted the perfect Vegan Snowball Cookies Recipe
Although there are other gluten-free and vegan snowball cookie recipes online, I had trouble finding any that I would actually consider healthy. Fortunately, this keto snowball cookies recipe is easy, absolutely delicious, AND the most nutritious cookie possible. It’s guilt-free, fuss-free and makes an iconic Christmas cookie the entire family will enjoy. Plus, you’ll feel good about serving these mouth watering cookies to the people you love.
I referenced a couple of 5-star snowball cookie recipes from my favorite baking blogs to understand the ratio of wet:dry ingredients found in traditional snowball cookies. I made flavor enhancements by increasing the vanilla and adding a touch of almond extract. Although dough chilling is needed for traditional snowball cookies, it’s not necessary in the detoxed version which cuts prep time by 30 minutes! Overall, I stayed true to a traditional recipe and simply made the 1:1 swaps for flour/sugar/butter.
Remember, baked desserts like simple cakes, cookies, sweet breads, scones, and muffins are usually straightforward and turn out great using the 1:1 swap method, but not all desserts can be made that way. I always recommend using our recipe index as a guide when baking with the ‘Sweet Swaps’.
The best ingredients & substitutions for the perfect gluten-free snowball cookies
Key Ingredients of a traditional Snowball Cookies:
- Flour
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Pecans
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
Key Ingredients of Detox Desserts Snowball Cookies:
- Whole-Grain or Grain-Free Flour Swap: Our gluten-free, high fiber, healthy flour substitute. (Use Grain-Free Swap for Paleo/Keto version of this dessert)
- Butter Swap: Our whole food, plant-based butter substitute that bakes and tastes like butter with added health benefits
- Powdered Sugar Swap: Our zero-calorie, zero-carb, naturally sweetened sugar substitute
- Pecans
- Avocado Oil (Olive Oil also works great)
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- Salt
Try Our Gluten-free, Vegan, Paleo AND Keto Baking System
Step-by-step: How to make Healthy Snowball Cookies
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup Whole-Grain or Grain-Free Flour Swap
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar Swap
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup Butter Swap
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (omit if you want a more traditional ‘Mexican Wedding’ Cookie)
- 1-2 Tablespoons avocado oil (as needed for dough consistency)
- ½ cup chopped pecans (macadamia and walnuts also work great)
- Powdered Sugar Swap for rolling once cooled
Ingredients with the Grain Free Flour
Ingredients with the Whole Grain Flour
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease well.
2. Mix dry ingredients well. Add wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated. I use a flat spoon until the dough is crumbly, then use clean hands to finish mixing. The dough should be slightly moist, somewhat crumbley and hold together when pressed. Add a little avocado oil if needed. When the dough is at the perfect consistency, add the chopped pecans and mix well.
3. Roll the cookies to form 1” balls and place them on your cookie sheet.
Grain Free Flour Dough
Grain Free Flour Ready to Bake
Whole Grain Flour Dough
Whole Grain Flour Ready to Bake
With Grain Free Flour
With Whole Grain Flour
4. Bake Whole-Grain cookies for about 19-21 minutes. Bake Grain-Free cookies for 16-18 minutes. Watch them closely, remove when they turn slightly golden in color and a few cracks form around the top and edges.
Grain Free Flour Texture
Whole Grain Flour Texture
5. Allow them to cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will harden as they cool.
6. When barely warm, roll each cookie in Powdered Sugar Swap. Reroll when completely cooled if a thicker sugar coating is desired. After a few hours in the fridge, they will achieve a perfect crumbly, shortbread texture.
Cookies with Grain Free Flour
Cookies with Whole Grain Flour
7. Store sealed in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for long term storage.
Finished Cookies
For the best taste, texture, and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging.
How to store your Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies
Store your high-fiber, gluten-free cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can wrap it tightly and store it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
How to make your Vegan Snowball Cookies stand out
- Use whatever nuts you have in the house, you really can’t go wrong. I’ve made these cookies with walnuts, macadamia nuts, and pistachios all of which tasted wonderful.
- For a fun and colorful variation, add naturally dyed, sugar-free sprinkles instead of nuts.
- Use superfood powders such as red dragon fruit, blue spirulina, or green chlorella to give the dough a vibrant color without disrupting the sweet vanilla flavor.
Tips for making the best Sugar-Free & Vegan Snowball Cookies
- Make sure your Butter Swap is well stirred and at room temperature before making your cookies. Oil separation is normal in the Butter Swap. If you have trouble stirring, pour the entire jar into a high-speed blender. Your swap will stay smooth for a couple of months after a minute in the blender.
- After you’ve mixed your wet and dry cookie ingredients, add your favorite neutral flavored oil 1 Tbsp at a time until you get a perfectly crumbly dough that sticks together when pressed.
- Do not overbake. The Grain-Free cookies burn more easily, watch them closely after about 15 minutes and remove them when they start to get golden in color.
- Let your snowball cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes before rolling in Powdered Sugar Swap. Rolling while they are still warm will allow the sugar to stick to the cookies better. Then, re-roll when completely cooled if you want a thicker coating of sugar.
- Make this sugar-free snowball cookie recipe a day before you plan to serve them. The overnight chill allows the flavors to settle and slows carbohydrate absorption, making your high-fiber cookies tastier and healthier!
Recipe Card: Healthy Snowball Cookies (Gluten-free, Vegan & Sugar-free)
| Prep Time | Bake Time | Total Time |
| 30 minutes | 16-20 minutes | approx. 50 minutes |
Servings: Serves 10 (makes about 20, 1” cookies)
Calories per serving: 180 cal
Although not guaranteed, we have gone above and beyond to provide you with the most accurate nutritional information for this recipe.
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup Whole-Grain or Grain-Free Flour Swap (using both flours in equal parts is my favorite)
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar Swap
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup Butter Swap
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (omit if you want a more traditional ‘Mexican Wedding’ Cookie)
- 1-2 Tablespoons avocado oil (as needed for dough consistency)
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- ½ cup chopped pecans (macadamia and walnuts also work great)
- Powdered Sugar Swap for rolling once cooled
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease well.
2. Mix dry ingredients well. Add wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated. I use a flat spoon until the dough is crumbly, then use clean hands to finish mixing. The dough should be slightly moist, somewhat crumbley and hold together when pressed. Add a little avocado oil if needed. When the dough is at the perfect consistency, add the chopped pecans and mix well.
3. Roll the cookies to form 1” balls and place them on your cookie sheet.
4. Bake Whole-Grain cookies for about 19-21 minutes. Bake Grain-Free cookies for 16-18 minutes. Watch them closely, remove when they turn slightly golden in color and a few cracks form around the top and edges.
5. Allow them to cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will harden as they cool.
6. When barely warm, roll each cookie in Powdered Sugar Swap. Reroll when completely cooled if a thicker sugar coating is desired. After a few hours in the fridge they will achieve a perfect crumbly, shortbread texture.
7. Store sealed in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for long term storage.
For the best taste, texture, and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging.
Recommended Products
Nutritional Information
*An important note on carbs
Net carbohydrates are the sum total of carbohydrates that convert into glucose (therefore raise blood sugar) in the body. Anyone following a keto or diabetic diet should count net carbs NOT total carbs. To determine net carbs, simply subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates on the nutrition label. Sugar alcohols are considered "carbs" for nutrition labeling purposes but our cells can't use them as energy which renders them inert in the human body. Thus, they are reduced from the total carb count. Fiber also counts towards the total carbohydrates for labeling purposes, but it is roughage. It stays in the intestines, doesn't absorb and isn't used as energy or converted to glucose in the body. Thus, fiber is also reduced from the total carbohydrate count. Anyone who counts macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) should always count net carbs, not total carbs.
We love your feedback, please make sure to comment and share your experience with this vegan, gluten-free, and keto snowball cookies recipe with the healthy baking community!
Cheers to your delicious health,
-Dr. Alexis
