These Keto Snowball Cookies are sugar free, low carb, gluten free, grain free and can be dairy free too! These keto Christmas cookies are perfect if you're on a keto diet, low carb diet or even if you just want to reduce your sugar intake, with just 1 g net carbs for these classic favorite little cookies!
Sugar-Free Snowball Cookies
Traditional snowball cookies have always been known as Gram's Butter Balls in my childhood memories, and they were everyones favorite cookies.
They are also known as Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies, but whatever you call them, they are delicious and should be a must-bake during the holiday season.
This classic cookie was so easy to make with just 4 ingredients of flour, butter, pecans and sugar.
I would often be preparing them with my grandmother as a child and loved every minute of the cloud of powdered sweetener sugar all over me. Everyone looked so forward to them on our holiday cookie tray.
Ghee, Butter or Coconut Oil
Sadly when my grandmother passed, my mom tried to carry on the tradition. She still makes them but doesn't have the time to make the dozens and dozens my grandmother would make for all our family and friends. That's where I come in!
My gluten free classic snowball cookies recipe of my Grandmother's Butter Balls are in my Naturally Keto cookbook. And they are good, but I have so many friends and family who need to be dairy free for health reasons and allergies.
I've used Ghee, which is a type of clarified butter and has very minimal amounts of milk solids in it, something like 99% free of milk solids. So if you're dairy free and haven't yet tried ghee, I would totally recommend it! If you have a dairy allergy to milk then swap with coconut oil instead of ghee.
I made these about 3 times before I got just the right mouth texture and taste. The first time I made them my oldest child, the picky teen, asked if he could try one. I never mentioned the name of them or what was in them.
He said, "YUM, these taste like Gram's butter balls"!
Mission accomplished!
All 3 of my kids and picky hubby too loved these cookies each time I made them.
Even my MOTHER said, these taste like GRAMS!!!
I was so honored! My grandmother, I think, would have loved my healthier version of her recipe or at least I would hope she's proud of me for trying to carry on her cookie tradition.
How to Make Keto Pecan Snowball Cookies
To view exact measurements, print recipe and see nutritional data, please scroll to the bottom of this blog post to view the recipe card.
Ingredients
Ghee or use room temperature butter or coconut oil for dairy free
Almond flour or see FAQs below to make these nut free
Swerve Confectioners Sweetener or low carb powdered sugar of choice
Extra confectioners to roll balls in
Step by Step Instructions
Place all ingredients into food processor, stand mixer or large bowl and use a hand mixer and process until cookie dough forms a ball. Pulse if needed.
Taste batter, adjust sweetener if needed.
Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
Use a small cookie scoop or about a tablespoon of dough make 24 cookie dough balls.
Roll each mound in the palm of your hand and place onto prepared cookie sheet.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes.
Place in preheated oven and bake cookies for about 12- 15 minutes or until golden around edges.
Allow to cool a little bit, about 5 minutes.
Once able to handle roll each in some confectioners sweetener.
Allow to cool completely before storing in an air tight container.
FAQs
How to Prevent Flat Snowball Cookies
Freeze them OVERNIGHT before baking, helps keep them from spreading and flattening.
How to Store
Place any leftover snowball cookies, once cooled, in an airtight container in a single layer. Lay a piece of parchment paper and place more in a single layer. Refrigerate for up to 7 days or place in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Can I swap almond flour with coconut flour?
Swapping almond and coconut flour isn't easy because ¼ cup coconut flour is equal to 1 cup almond flour and requires more liquids and eggs.
How can I make this nut free?
Yes, you can evenly swap almond flour with sunflower seed flour but to swap out the pecans you would need some kind of seed to replace, perhaps sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Can I use traditional flour like white or wheat pastry flour?
You could but then these would not be low carb keto snowballs because white flour and wheat flour are highly refined processed and high in carbs.
Can I change the sugar substitutes?
Yes, you can use any sweetener you like. I also love monk fruit sweetener. I avoid sugar alcohols like sorbitol and Maltitol and they tend to cause adverse reactions like stomach upset in some people. Use my sweetener guide and conversion chart.
Can I use coconut sugar?
You could but then they would be high carb not low carb as coconut sugar is a sugar whereas stevia and Swerve are low carb sweeteners that don't spike blood sugar.
Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?
Sure! You can use walnuts instead of pecans if you prefer.
I hope you enjoy these snowball cookies as much as my family did! Here are some other cookies you might love for the season!
Happy Holidays!
Sugar Free Low-Carb Snowball Cookies
Sugar-Free Pecan Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoon Ghee or coconut oil or use softened butter if not dairy free
- 1 ½ cup almond flour or 150 grams
- 1 cup pecans or 120 grams, chopped
- ½ cup Swerve Confectioners Sweetener or 78 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- extra confectioners to roll balls in
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into food processor and process until batter forms a ball. Pulse if needed.
- Taste batter, adjust sweetener if needed.
- Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment.
- Use a small cookie scoop and make 24 mounds.
- Roll each mound in the palm of your hand and place on cookie sheet.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes. Best if frozen overnight.
- Place in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden around edges.
- Allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Once cool enough to handle, roll each in some confectioners sweetener.
- Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
shabnam sabzehi
Wow simply delicious and easy to make! I used butter and didn’t freeze but turned out great! Thanks
Andrea Garber
I love reading other people’s comments on recipes but often don’t post my own comments however I felt compelled to write today. In addition, it makes me laugh when people say ‘I loved this recipe but I made these changes.....” and by the time you read the changes the recipe really isn’t the same. That being said, I want to tell you how delicious this was! I am a follower of the Wahls protocol which is essentially a paleo diet and does not include any sugar free sweeteners. I am always looking for recipes for dessert and to date I only have two recipes that fit this bill so far. I did make changes to the recipe which allows me to adhere to my eating plan and I made this today with the ghee, almond flour, vanilla, pecans, 1 tsp cinnamon and I used 1/2 tsp salt because I like the salt in my sweets. This was absolutely wonderful! Thank you for allowing me to enjoy dessert again! All The Best, Andrea
Stephanie
Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?
Brenda
yep that works too!
Sylvanna
Unsalted butter or salted?
Brenda
I've used both at different times and really can't notice any difference, but if you're sensitive to salt, use unsalted.
Aura Deleon
Just made this recipe, and your recipes are always “spot on” ...so good!! Thank you!
Tiffany
I’m totally dairy free (major allergy). Will coconut oil work?
Brenda
Yes
Margaret
Can you replace almond flour with coconut flour?
Brenda
Not for this recipe, it's not an equal swap, sorry I'd have to test it out.
Janel
These cookies are so good. My diabetic husband is so pleased I found this recipe. The cookies are so close to being like the Pecan Balls his Mother always made. So I thank you so much Brenda for sharing this recipe with us. God bless you.
Sherry
When I make these cookies do I add the confectioners sugar with the cookies and more to roll the cookies in?
Brenda
Yes, it's listed in the ingredient list, extra confectioners to roll balls in.
Sherry
I’m also wondering like Beth if these can successfully baked prior to Christmas and frozen then defrosted? Btw, my sugar-addicted teen son just tried one and LOVES them! This is the kid who turns his nose up at most of them treats I make, asking, “ this isn’t Paleo is it?” ?
Brenda
Yes I've successfully baked and frozen then thawed for Christmas.
Sherry
I’ve been making Russian tea cakes for years and I have to say, this version tastes just like the real deal! You’ve made me soooo happy! I used powdered Boca Sweet for the sweetener as a one to one sub and it worked great! Thank you so much for this nearly guilt free treat!
Jackie
These look amazing!! Can’t wait to make them!