These cherry snowball cookies are made with powdered sugar, butter, oats, coconut, walnuts, and chopped maraschino cherries. Buttery, soft, and sweet with a festive twist.
When I was eight, my aunt Susan used to let me sit at her counter while she baked. She had this ancient tin of Christmas cookie cutters—like, honestly, I think one of them was supposed to be a bell but looked suspiciously like a pear? Anyway, she’d hand me a tiny spoonful of dough and let me “help” (which usually meant making a mess and licking my fingers when I wasn’t supposed to).
But these cherry snowball cookies? They weren’t part of that tin tradition. I didn’t discover them until years later. I was newly married, living in a drafty apartment with beige carpet and zero insulation, trying to feel festive with like $11 in my bank account and half a stick of butter in my fridge.
I made them on a whim. I’d bought a jar of maraschino cherries for something (no idea what—maybe a cocktail I never made?), and found this old handwritten note in a cookbook from a thrift store. It just said “Cherry Snowballs – roll in sugar” and listed a few ingredients. No instructions. No context. I followed it with my usual “Eh, this’ll probably work” energy.
The first batch came out slightly burnt. The second batch was too pink. But the third one? That batch tasted like joy. Like something warm in the middle of cold. A little chewy. But still soft. A little nutty. But not too much. And those cherries? Sweet and bright and way more comforting than they had any right to be.
Now, I make them every December. Sometimes in January too, if we’re being honest. They’re that kind of cookie. Not perfect. Just nostalgic and happy and a little bit magic.
Why You’ll Love This Cherry Snowball Cookies Recipe?
I’ll be real—these aren’t trendy. You won’t see them going viral on TikTok or made into a 12-layer cookie tower by some YouTuber with a ring light and perfect nails. But that’s kind of why I love them.
They’re old-school in the best way. You get that buttery, shortbread-like base, but then—bam!—a bite of sweet cherry. It’s surprising, but in a “wait, why haven’t I had this before?” kind of way. And they’re rolled in powdered sugar which, let’s be honest, makes them look way fancier than the effort you actually put in.
They’re cozy. And slightly messy. And very much “grandma’s kitchen” but in the warmest, most comforting way.
Ingredient Notes:
This is not one of those recipes where you need twelve specialty flours or golden Himalayan salt. We’re sticking to the basics, but each ingredient does matter. And if you swap something? That’s cool too. I’ll tell you what’s worth fussing over and what’s not.
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Powdered Sugar (1¼ cups, divided): Use the good stuff here. Not because it changes the flavor dramatically—but because you’ll be licking it off your fingers later, so it might as well taste good.
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Butter (½ cup, softened): Real butter, always. Margarine just doesn’t cut it here, though I’ll admit—I’ve used it once in a pinch. It was fine. Not great. But fine.
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All-Purpose Flour (1 cup): Regular ol’ flour. The backbone of any good cookie.
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Instant Oats (¼ cup): This adds a bit of chew. You can skip it, but it’s kinda nice. Like that one background singer in a band who doesn’t get much credit but holds the whole song together.
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Coconut (¼ cup, sweetened & chopped): Totally optional. Some people love it. Some… don’t. I fall somewhere in the middle, which probably says something about my personality.
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Walnuts (¼ cup, chopped): Adds crunch. If you’ve got a nut allergy (or just don’t like ‘em), leave them out or sub in pecans. Or just… skip.
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Salt (just a pinch): Makes everything better. It’s like that one friend who doesn’t say much at parties but everyone wants there.
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Maraschino Cherries (15, chopped): Look, I’m not saying this cookie exists because of these, but… yeah, kinda. They’re cheerful. Like little red holiday confetti.
How To Make Cherry Snowball Cookies?
You don’t need a stand mixer. Or chilling time. Or any kind of magic. Here’s how I do it (and yeah, I still get flour on my sleeves every time).
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Easy enough. Line your baking sheet with parchment if you’re fancy. If not? Just grease it lightly. Nobody’s judging.
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Step 2: Cream the butter and a bit of the sugar.
Take ¼ cup of the powdered sugar (save the rest for rolling later!) and mix it with your softened butter until smooth. Like spreadable frosting. I usually do this with a wooden spoon because that’s what my aunt Susan did.
Step 3: Add the dry stuff.
Toss in the flour, oats, coconut, walnuts, and salt. Stir until it starts to come together. Then add the cherries. Fold them in gently—don’t go full hulk or you’ll crush them and the whole dough turns pink. I’ve done it. Still tastes great. Just looks… very pink.
Step 4: Scoop and bake.
Spoon out small blobs of dough onto the sheet. Give them a little room—they don’t spread a ton, but they need space to breathe. Bake for 18-20 mins or until they just start to brown on the bottom.
Step 5: Cool and coat.
Let them cool for a couple minutes so they don’t fall apart in your hands. Then roll them in the rest of the powdered sugar. It’ll stick better when they’re still slightly warm. Expect powdered sugar everywhere. Embrace it.
Storage Options:
If you’re the kind of person who can resist eating six of these in one sitting… first of all, how? Secondly, they keep well. Airtight container. Counter. Boom—5 days of joy.
Wanna freeze them? Do it before you sugar-roll them. Then once thawed, give them their powdered snow treatment. Like a little cookie spa moment.
Variations and Substitutions:
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Ditch the nuts – No biggie.
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Add almond extract – Just a drop. Seriously. Transforms the cherry flavor.
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Swap cherries for dried cranberries – Less sweet, more tart, but still really good.
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No oats? Just use a little extra flour. It’s fine. We adapt.
What to Serve with Cherry Snowball Cookies?
Because, yes, these little snowballs deserve a co-star.
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Coffee with cream. Or black, if you like contrast.
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Peppermint tea. Soothing and strangely perfect.
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Milk. Obviously.
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Holiday movies. Especially the ones where everyone falls in love in a small town bakery. You know the ones.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to use maraschino cherries?
Technically no. But also… yes? They’re kind of the whole point. That said, dried fruit works in a pinch.
My dough’s too sticky—what now?
Stick it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes. It helps. Or just deal with sticky hands. It’s cookie therapy, right?
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely. Just make sure you’ve got enough powdered sugar on hand—you’ll need more than you think.
So there you go. Cherry Snowball Cookies, from my slightly messy, imperfect kitchen to yours. They’re not fancy, but they’re sweet, nostalgic, and honestly—kind of everything I want a holiday cookie to be.
Try ‘em. Tweak ‘em. Tell me how they turned out. And if you ended up covered in powdered sugar too? Welcome to the club.
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Keep the Flavor Coming – Try These:
Cherry Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ c powdered sugar divided
- ½ c softened butter
- 1 c flour
- ¼ c instant oats
- ¼ c finely chopped sweetened coconut
- ¼ c finely chopped walnuts
- 1 pinch of salt
- 15 maraschino cherries finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet, using parchment paper.
- In a bowl cream together 1/4 cup of sugar and softened butter until the mixture is smooth.
- Gradually add the flour, oats, coconut, walnuts and a pinch of salt into the bowl. Lastly gently fold in the chopped cherries.
- Use a spoon to drop portions of dough onto your baking sheet making sure to space them 2 inches apart.
- Place the cookies in the oven. Bake for around 18 minutes or until they turn slightly golden.
- After baking roll the cookies in the remaining sugar until they are fully coated.
Notes
I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!
