The Story & Intro
Bonjour my friends! 👋 I’m Lacamorea, a 31-year-old French girl who traded the cobblestone streets of Paris for the cozy kitchens of America 🇫🇷➡️🇺🇸. Ever since I could reach the countertop, I’ve been whisking, stirring, and sneaking tastes of cake batter when no one was looking 🍰😋. Cooking isn’t just my passion it’s my love language, my therapy, and my favorite way to make people smile.
Now let me tell you a little story about these pistachio snowball cookies.
The very first winter I spent in the US, I was completely enchanted by American holiday baking traditions. In France, we bake with love but in America, you bake with love and a bit of competitive spirit. Who can bring the prettiest cookie? Who can surprise the family with a new flavor? Who can out-bake grandma? (Spoiler: no one can ever out-bake grandma.)
At a cozy neighborhood cookie swap in Vermont, I tasted a classic American snowball cookie for the first time. Soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth like edible little winter clouds. But I instantly thought, What if I added a French twist? What if these little clouds had a pistachio-green heart? 🌿
And that’s how my beloved pistachio snowball cookies were born a melt-in-your-mouth fusion of French nuttiness and American Christmas charm. They’re sweet, tender, buttery, and delicately nutty with that irresistible pistachio flavor that makes everyone stop mid-bite and say, “Wait… what is in these?!”
If you’re looking for a cookie that feels like a warm hug wrapped in powdered sugar, this is the one. Let’s get baking! 🎄✨
⏱️ Time
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Bake: 12–14 minutes
- Total: About 1 hour
🛒 Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make a perfect batch of pistachio snowball cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional but heavenly!)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup finely chopped pistachios (roasted, unsalted)
- Extra crushed pistachios for garnish (optional but gorgeous 💚)
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cream the butter and sugar
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until fluffy and pale. This gives your cookies that classic melt-in-your-mouth texture.
2. Add the flavorings
Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Almond extract especially boosts the pistachio flavor, so don’t skip it unless you absolutely must!
3. Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Slowly add this dry mixture into the butter mixture until it forms a soft dough.
4. Fold in the pistachios
Stir in the finely chopped pistachios until they’re evenly distributed. Little green speckles everywhere it’s so festive! 💚
5. Chill the dough
Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling keeps your snowballs perfectly round instead of melting into puddles.
6. Shape the cookies
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms into a small ball. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes. The bottoms should be lightly golden, but the tops stay pale.
8. Roll in powdered sugar
This is the fun part! While still warm, gently roll each cookie in powdered sugar. Let them cool completely, then give them one more snowy roll for that fluffy snowball finish.
Serving Suggestions
- Dust with crushed pistachios for a pop of color
- Serve with hot cocoa or coffee
- Add them to a holiday cookie tray
- Wrap them in clear bags with ribbon for adorable gifts 🎁
- Pair with mulled wine for a grown-up treat
These pistachio snowball cookies are perfect for winter gatherings, cookie swaps, or just a cozy night in with your slippers, a blanket, and a holiday movie.
📝 Notes
- Want a stronger pistachio flavor? Add ¼ teaspoon pistachio extract.
- If your dough feels crumbly, add 1–2 teaspoons milk.
- You can freeze baked snowball cookies for up to 3 months.
- To toast pistachios: bake them at 350°F for 5–6 minutes until fragrant.
🍽️ Nutrition (Per Cookie)
- Calories: ~120
- Fat: 8g
- Carbs: 11g
- Sugar: 4g
- Protein: 2g
(Values will vary based on size and ingredient brands.)
Recipe Card
📛 Recipe: Pistachio Snowball Cookies
⏱️ Time: 1 hour
🍪 Servings: 24 cookies
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup chopped pistachios
👩🍳 Instructions
- Cream butter + sugar.
- Add extracts.
- Mix dry ingredients & combine.
- Fold in pistachios.
- Chill 30 minutes.
- Roll into balls.
- Bake 12–14 min at 350°F.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar.
📝 Notes
Add pistachio extract for stronger flavor.
🍽️ Nutrition
Approx. 120 calories per cookie.
Conclusion
There you have it, my friends a cozy, festive batch of pistachio snowball cookies that bring together the buttery charm of American holiday baking and the nutty elegance of French flavors. These cookies never last long in my house, and once you taste that soft, delicate crumble with a hint of pistachio, you’ll understand why.
Whether you’re sharing them at a holiday gathering or sneaking one (or three!) with your morning coffee, they’re guaranteed to bring joy, warmth, and just a bit of winter magic ❄️💚