These Kinako Snowball Cookies have a nutty, roasted flavor from Japanese kinako (roasted soybean flour) and a tender, buttery crumb. Chopped walnuts add texture, making them perfect for holiday baking, gift boxes, or enjoying with tea. Make a batch ahead and freeze for easy desserts.
Table of Contents
Kinako Snowball Cookies with Walnuts
These easy cookies put a Japanese twist on classic snowball cookies, using kinako (roasted soybean flour) for a rich, toasty flavor that’s unique and lightly sweet. Paired with almond flour and chopped walnuts, they’re is delicate, crumbly, and full of subtle nuttiness.
Perfect for holiday treats, cookie boxes, or pairing with tea, these cookies are simple to make, freezer-friendly, and a fun way to introduce Japanese flavors to traditional shortbread-style cookies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these kinako snowball cookies. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Kinako
- Almond flour
- Cake flour
- Chopped walnuts
Notes & substitutions:
- Almond flour can be swapped for finely ground almonds.
- Cake flour can replace all-purpose flour for a softer cookie.
- Make sure walnuts are chopped finely to maintain a delicate crumb.
How to Make Kinako Snowball Cookies
These cookies are easy to make and require minimal special equipment, making them accessible for any level of baker.
- Beat butter and powdered sugar until creamy.
- Add kinako, almond flour, all-purpose flour, and chopped walnuts; mix until crumbly.
- Bring dough together gently by hand.
- Chill the dough briefly in the fridge.
- Portion into balls and bake until just set.
The dough may look sandy at first, but pressing it together forms a soft, workable dough that bakes into tender, buttery cookies with a light crunch.
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
- Make them even size: Use a kitchen scale for consistent cookies.
- Avoid over baking: These are really small cookies so they bake quite quickly. They will stay pale on top and just browned on the bottom.
How to Make Ahead of Time and Store
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
- Dough balls can also be frozen and baked straight from the freezer; add 1–2 minutes to baking time.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, pulse butter and sugar first, then add the dry ingredients and walnuts, mixing just until combined.
Absolutely. Use a hand mixer or mix by hand with a sturdy spatula until creamy and smooth.
More Japanese-Inspired Cookie Recipes
- Matcha Snowball Cookies
- Matcha Latte Sandwich Cookies
- Matcha Nama Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Rum Raisin Sandwich Cookies
- Miso Toffee Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Enjoy! If you make this Kinako Snowball Cookies recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating below, and if you share it on social media, tag me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen. I can’t wait to see your creations!
Print
Kinako Snowball Cookies
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Kinako Snowball Cookies have a nutty, roasted flavor from Japanese kinako (roasted soybean flour) and a tender, buttery crumb. Chopped walnuts add texture, making them perfect for holiday baking, gift boxes, or enjoying with tea. Make a batch ahead and freeze for easy desserts.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp (50 g) salted butter
- 2 tbsp (15 g) kinako
- 1/4 cup (25 g) almond flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) cake flour
- 3 tbsp (20 g) powder sugar
- 3 tbsp (20 g) chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Add the softened butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the kinako (roasted soybean flour), almond flour, all-purpose flour, and chopped walnuts. Mix on low speed just until the mixture looks crumbly and sandy.
- Use your hands to gently press and knead the mixture in the bowl until it forms a cohesive dough.
- Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide the chilled dough into 12 equal pieces (~12.9 g each) and roll into smooth balls.
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (170°C/338°F convection). Bake for 15 minutes, until top is dry and bottom is lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes and then toss in powdered sugar. Once fully cooled, dust with more powder sugar if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
These cookies may be mixed with a hand mixer following the same process. For hand mixing, use a spatula to smooth the butter, then incorporate the sugar until uniform. Add the dry ingredients and fold them in using a cutting motion with the spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl periodically. Once the mixture is evenly distributed, press the dough firmly with the spatula to eliminate any remaining dry spots. Pinch the dough together and proceed as directed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired, Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 97
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 3 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
