Toffee Snowballs (Russian Tea Cakes)

Every December, I end up in the kitchen with a counter that looks like a snowstorm hit it. Powdered sugar on everything — the floor, my sweater, even the cat once. These cookies are to blame.

They’re one of those old-fashioned recipes that just feels like Christmas, even if it’s not December. They don’t look fancy, and that’s part of what I love about them. They’re small, humble little rounds of buttery dough rolled in powdered sugar until they look like snowballs — soft, crumbly, and sweet in the most gentle way.

I remember the first time I made them, I thought they’d be boring. No frosting, no decorations, just… white. But the magic is inside — that toffee and chocolate melt into little bursts of crunch and sweetness against the nutty dough. The first bite always surprises people; it’s that mix of textures that makes you go back for another.

They’re the kind of cookie you make when the house feels quiet and you just want something comforting to fill the space — the smell of butter and vanilla baking into the air, the sound of trays clinking, the simple rhythm of rolling dough between your palms. You don’t even have to be good at baking to pull these off. They’re forgiving, old-soul cookies. They just want to make your day a little softer.

And when they come out of the oven, warm and delicate, rolling them in sugar feels like a small joy — messy, yes, but worth it. It’s the kind of thing that slows you down in the best way. You can’t rush a cookie covered in powdered sugar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup real butter, at room temperature
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans
• 3 ounces toffee pieces
• 3 ounces mini chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, and water — mix until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour and salt until just combined. Then fold in the pecans, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.
4. Roll the dough into small balls, about a tablespoon each, and place them on your baking sheets.
5. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until they’re just lightly golden around the bottom.
6. While they’re still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Let them cool completely, then roll again for that perfect snowy finish.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

(Or fewer, if you “taste test” as you go. Which you will.)

Recipe FAQs

1. Can I skip the toffee or the chocolate chips?
You can, but don’t. The toffee gives this deep buttery crunch that makes them special, and the chocolate adds just enough sweetness. Without them, they’re still good — just less magical.

2. My dough feels too dry what did I do wrong?
Nothing, probably. Sometimes flour just behaves differently. Add a tiny splash more water or a dab of butter until it holds together when you roll it. These cookies like a bit of patience.

3. Why roll them twice in powdered sugar?
Because the first roll melts into the warm cookie, making this sweet glaze underneath. The second roll gives them that snowy, powdery look. It’s not extra work — it’s the whole charm.

4. Can I freeze them?
Yes! Freeze the unbaked dough balls or the finished cookies. If you freeze the baked ones, let them thaw and roll them in sugar again before serving. It brings them back to life.

5. They don’t look perfect. Is that okay?
That’s the point. These aren’t supposed to look uniform or glossy. They’re meant to look like they were made in a real kitchen by real hands — because they were.

Toffee Snowballs (Russian Tea Cakes)

Recipe by Salma Recipe

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• * 1 cup real butter, at room temperature

• * 5 tablespoons sugar

• * 2 teaspoons vanilla

• * 1 tablespoon water

• * ¼ teaspoon salt

• * 2 cups flour

• * 2 cups finely chopped pecans

• * 3 ounces toffee pieces

• * 3 ounces mini chocolate chips

• * Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, and water — mix until smooth.
• Stir in the flour and salt until just combined. Then fold in the pecans, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.
• Roll the dough into small balls, about a tablespoon each, and place them on your baking sheets.
• Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until they’re just lightly golden around the bottom.
• While they’re still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Let them cool completely, then roll again for that perfect snowy finish.