Keto Snowball Cookies Recipe – Buttery, Nutty, And Melt-In-Your-Mouth

These classic holiday cookies get a low-carb makeover without losing their signature buttery bite. They’re tender, lightly sweet, and coated in a snowy dusting—just without the sugar crash. If you love a cookie with a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth center and crunchy toasted nuts, this recipe is for you.

You can make a batch in under an hour, and they keep beautifully. Perfect for gifting, snacking, or setting out on a festive cookie tray.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

• Authentic texture and flavor: Almond flour and butter create a rich, shortbread-like crumb that feels just like the traditional cookie.
• Low-carb and gluten-free: Made with almond flour and a keto-friendly sweetener, each cookie stays low in net carbs while still tasting like a treat.
• Simple ingredient list: No hard-to-find ingredients or complicated steps. You likely have most of what you need already.
• Customizable: Swap nuts, add warm spices, or include extracts to match your tastes without affecting the texture.
• Great make-ahead dessert: The dough chills well, and baked cookies freeze beautifully, making them easy to prep for parties.

Shopping List

• Unsalted butter (softened)
• Almond flour (super-fine for best texture)
• Powdered erythritol or powdered allulose (plus extra for coating)
• Vanilla extract
• Sea salt
• Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are classic; toast them for extra flavor)
• Optional flavor boosts: almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, or orange zest

How to Make It

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If using nuts, spread them on a separate sheet and toast for 5–7 minutes until fragrant. Let cool, then chop finely.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sweetener together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes with a hand mixer.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt.
   

   If using almond extract or zest, add it now.

4. Add the almond flour in two batches. Beat on low just until the dough comes together. It should be soft but not sticky.
   

   Fold in the chopped nuts.

5. If the dough feels too soft to shape, chill it for 15–20 minutes. This helps the butter firm up so your cookies hold their shape.
6. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls using a small cookie scoop or your hands. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1.5 inches apart.
   

   They won’t spread much.

7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set. Avoid overbaking—these should stay pale on top.
8. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. While still warm, gently roll each one in powdered sweetener to coat.
   

   Set on a rack to cool completely.

9. Once fully cool, roll them one more time in powdered sweetener for that classic snowy look. This second coat sticks best when the cookies have cooled.

How to Store

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep a small sheet of parchment between layers.
• Refrigerator: Keeps well for 10–12 days.
  

  The texture stays firm and buttery.

• Freezer: Freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and re-dust with powdered sweetener if needed.
• Dough storage: Chill dough for up to 48 hours, or freeze scooped dough balls for 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Health Benefits

• Lower in carbs: Using almond flour and a keto sweetener reduces net carbs, making these cookies a better fit for low-carb or ketogenic eating patterns.
• Gluten-free: Almond flour is naturally gluten-free, a helpful swap for those avoiding wheat.
• Healthy fats and fiber: Almonds and walnuts provide monounsaturated fats, omega-3s (from walnuts), and a bit of fiber to promote satiety.
• No refined sugar: Sugar substitutes like erythritol or allulose don’t spike blood sugar the way traditional powdered sugar does.

Pitfalls to Watch Out For

• Using coarse almond meal: Super-fine almond flour gives a tender crumb.
  

  Coarse meal makes the cookies gritty and crumbly.

• Overbaking: They should stay pale on top. Too much time in the oven dries them out and creates a sandy texture.
• Skipping the chill: If your kitchen is warm or your butter was very soft, a short chill keeps the balls from flattening.
• Wrong sweetener texture: Use powdered sweetener, not granulated. Granules won’t dissolve well and can feel crunchy.
• Measuring mistakes: Spoon and level almond flour rather than packing it.
  

  Packed flour leads to dry, dense cookies.

Variations You Can Try

• Spiced snowballs: Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dough. Great with pecans.
• Almond joy-style: Use almonds, add 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, and a drop of almond extract.
• Orange-vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon orange zest and use vanilla plus a splash of orange extract.
• Chocolate chip: Fold in 1/3 cup sugar-free mini chocolate chips in place of nuts or alongside them.
• Pistachio cardamom: Use chopped pistachios and 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom for a fragrant twist.
• Nut-free option: Skip the nuts and add 2–3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut. Texture will be slightly different but still tasty.

FAQ

Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?

Coconut flour won’t work as a 1:1 swap.

It’s far more absorbent and will make the dough dry and crumbly. If you must use coconut flour, you’d need additional fat and eggs, which turns it into a different recipe entirely. For best results, stick with super-fine almond flour.

Which sweetener works best for coating?

Powdered erythritol or powdered allulose both work.

Erythritol coats well and stays powdery, but can have a cooling effect. Allulose tastes very natural and less cooling, but may absorb some moisture over time and look slightly less powdery. Either is fine; choose your preference.

Do I need to toast the nuts?

You don’t have to, but it makes a big difference.

Toasting deepens their flavor and adds crunch. Just be sure to cool them before mixing into the dough to keep the butter from melting.

Why did my cookies crack?

Minor cracks are normal with shortbread-style cookies. Large cracks usually mean the dough was too dry or overbaked.

Next time, measure flour carefully, avoid overmixing, and pull them from the oven as soon as the bottoms turn golden.

How many carbs are in each cookie?

It varies by size and brand of ingredients, but a typical 1-inch cookie made with almond flour and a keto sweetener usually lands around 1–2 grams net carbs. Check your specific labels and calculate based on the exact amounts you use.

Can I make these dairy-free?

Yes. Use a high-quality plant-based butter that’s firm and 80% fat or higher.

Coconut oil can work in a pinch, but the flavor and texture will be different and slightly more crumbly.

In Conclusion

Keto snowball cookies are proof that you don’t need sugar or flour to get that nostalgic holiday flavor. With simple pantry ingredients and a few smart tweaks, you’ll have buttery, nutty cookies that practically melt as you bite into them. They’re easy to make, easy to customize, and perfect for sharing. Bake a batch now, freeze a batch for later, and keep a little sweetness in your season without breaking your goals.