These Earl Grey Snowball Cookies are a simple holiday bake everyone will love! Buttery and crisp, they’re rolled in a snowy layer of powdered sugar and make perfect treats for gifting, cookie boxes, or sharing with friends this season.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Earl Grey Snowball Cookies
If you’re looking for holiday cookies for gifting, Earl Grey tea desserts, or a make-ahead cookie recipe that’s freezer-friendly, these snowball cookies are exactly what you need.
- Buttery and crisp – the dough holds together perfectly and bakes to a tender crunch.
- Tea-infused flavor – finely ground Earl Grey leaves bring a fragrant, citrusy note.
- Perfect for cookie boxes and gifts – they travel well and store beautifully.
- Simple and approachable – no complicated techniques or special equipment needed.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Before we dive into the baking, here’s what you’ll need to make these Earl Grey Snowball Cookies:
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Almond flour
- Milk powder (optional, can be replaced with more almond flour or flour)
- Earl Grey tea leaves (from 1–2 tea bags, finely ground)
- Salt
Notes & Substitutions:
- Cake flour creates a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you don’t have cake flour, you can use all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons per cup.
- Milk powder adds richness and helps the cookies hold their shape but can be omitted or replaced with a touch of cornstarch for structure.
- For a caffeine-free version, use decaf Earl Grey tea or a citrusy herbal tea.
How to Make Earl Grey Snowball Cookies
These cookies are easy to make with a few simple steps:
- Cream butter and sugar – Beat together butter and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add vanilla – Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine dry ingredients – Whisk together cake flour, almond flour, milk powder, salt, and finely ground Earl Grey tea.
- Incorporate dry mixture – Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Dough should be soft but hold together.
- Chill dough (optional) – Refrigerate for 30 minutes for easier shaping.
- Shape cookies – Divide into 30 pieces (~10 grams each), roll into balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake – Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Cool and coat – Let cookies cool slightly, then roll in powdered sugar while warm. Finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the dough – it can make the cookies tough instead of tender.
- Grinding the tea leaves finely ensures even flavor without a gritty texture.
- Use room temperature butter to get a smooth, easy-to-work-with dough.
How to Make Ahead and Store Snowball Cookies
- Make ahead: Shape the dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes.
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezer-friendly: Fully baked and powdered sugar-coated cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, but the unique bergamot flavor of Earl Grey is what gives these cookies their signature taste
More Tea Infused Cookie Recipes
- Matcha Snowball Cookies
- Earl Grey Sugar Cookies
- Hojicha Snowball Cookies
- Hojicha White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Matcha Latte Sandwich Cookies
Enjoy! If you make this Earl Grey 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!
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Earl Grey Snowball Cookies
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Earl Grey Snowball Cookies are a simple holiday bake everyone will love! Buttery and crisp, they’re rolled in a snowy layer of powdered sugar and make perfect treats for gifting, cookie boxes, or sharing with friends this season.
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp (75 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (145 g) cake flour
- 3 tbsp (21 g) almond flour
- 2 tbsp (16 g) milk powder
- 2 tsp (5 g) Earl Grey tea leaves (from 1–2 tea bags, finely ground)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, milk powder, salt, and ground Earl Grey tea.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing. The dough should be soft but hold together.
- Chill (optional but recommended): Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Shape cookies: Divide dough into 30 pieces, 10 grams each. Roll them into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about 1.5 inches apart.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (170°C/338°F convection). Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should stay pale.
- Cool and coat: Allow cookies to cool slightly on the sheet for 5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar while warm. Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Cookies can be made with a hand mixer, same method. For bowl and spatula, use a spatula to smooth out the butter and then mix in the sugar. When adding in the dry ingredients use the side of the spatula to mix in a cutting motion, scooping under every so often. Once its well distributed and mixed, press down on the dough with the spatula to ensure there are no remaining bits of flour. Then pinch the dough together and proceed with the recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican, Japanese-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 64
- Sugar: 3.2
- Sodium: 12 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0
Love tea flavours in my cookies and this one is a hit for me!
I made these last night and they are seriously so good and the earl grey amount is just right!