A longtime family favorite holiday cookie that's not only Gluten-Free but Vegan optional too! Not too sweet, amazing cinnamon & nutmeg flavor and perfect buttery texture somewhere between chewy and crunchy.
New! I’ve added a cooking video to this page so you can see how easy it is to make the gluten-free Cinnamon Snowballs!
If you’re new to this page, there is a printable recipe with exact measurements and directions as the bottom of the page.
Hope you love them as much as we do!
Original post…
This is my kind of snowball… Gluten-free Cinnamon Snowballs!
My family has a long tradition of holiday cookie baking and we have many recipes from family & friends that we look forward to each year.
Everyone has a favorite, and these are the favorite of my son and my niece.
They are not too sweet, have a great cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, and that perfect buttery cookie texture somewhere between chewy & crunchy.
And this batch is not only gluten-free but Vegan too!
My family’s been baking this recipe for as long as I can remember.
The origins of this recipe?
My Aunt introduced the family to it…. She got it from a Swedish friend she met in weaving class in the 1970s… seriously, that’s where we got it from.
Beyond that, all I know is they are one of my family’s favorite holiday cookies and they are really yummy!
And they are EASY to make!
All you’ll need is:
butter or dairy-free butter
confectioners sugar
gluten-free all purpose flour with xanthan gum (I use GF Jules– affiliate link)
salt
cinnamon
nutmeg
gluten-free oats
vanilla extract
finely chopped walnuts and pecans (you could use just one type of nut it that’s all available).
In fact the only change I’ve made to the original recipe is to use GF Jules (affiliate link) flour… which is why we love it so much!
And you may have noticed that we are affiliate for GFJules. A great gluten-free flour is so important with gluten-free baking! To learn more about why we love GFJules flour and why we have used it for 10 years, click here.
Bonus: at the bottom of that post is a one-time use affiliate Discount Code.
And importantly, purchasing through an affiliate link does not change your cost at all. It generates a small percentage of the sale for me, and purchasing through an affiliate link helps me fund this website and all the recipes I share, so thank you!
Back to the Gluten-free Cinnamon Snowballs...
One pro tip as we start cookie baking season…
Whenever you chop nuts for a recipe, chop extra and leave it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
That way, it will be all ready for the next cookie you bake.
Back to the Cinnamon Snowballs….
And the dough comes together quickly and doesn’t require any refrigeration prior to baking.
All you do is cream the butter and separately mix together the flour, sugar and spices.
Then slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter, add in the oats, vanilla and nuts and mix for about 5 minutes until it forms a dough.
Then roll into marble size balls and bake!
The only thing I want to point out about this recipe is that the cookies bake at 300 degrees F for 25 minutes.
This is notable because most cookies bake at 350 degrees or 375 degrees, so if you are planning on baking several recipes in one day, start with these!
They flatten and grow some while they bake and the house will smell amazing!
Let them cool slightly, then roll in confectioner’s sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
That’s it!
Super easy, fun for kids of all ages to make and yummy!
A longtime holiday favorite, these cookies are not too sweet, have a great cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, and the perfect buttery cookie texture somewhere between chewy and crunchy.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Course: Dessert, Holiday Cookies
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan Optional
Servings: 48cookies
Author: Healthy Gluten-free Family
Ingredients
Cookie dough
1cupbutter or dairy-free buttersoftened (If butter, I use 1 stick unsalted, 1 stick salted)
3/4cupconfectioners sugar
1 1/2cupgluten-free all purpose flour with xanthan gumI use GF Jules- affiliate link
1/4teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspooncinnamon
1/2teaspoonnutmeg
3/4cupquick cooking gluten-free oats
1tablespoonvanilla
3/4cupwalnutsfinely chopped
3/4cuppecansfinely chopped (You could use only one type of nut if that's what is available)
3/4cupsor more confectioner's sugar for rolling baked cookies
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or leave cookie sheet ungreased.
Beat butter until creamy
In a medium bowl mix the confectioner's sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a pastry cutter or fork.
Gradually add flour mixture to the butter.
Blend well.
Stir in oats
Blend in vanilla and nuts
Mix well (about 5 minutes)
Shape to form small, marble sized balls
Place these on the cookie sheet.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until set. Cookies will seem soft, but will harden as they cool.
Let cool.
Gently roll in confectioner's sugar.
Store in air tight container for several weeks. Cookies freeze well.
TIP: If making multiple cookies in a day, make these first because of the low oven temperature and longer baking time.
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
