These Sesame Snowball Cookies are buttery and tender, with a delicate crumb and deep nutty flavor from ground sesame seeds and sesame oil. Lightly sweet and perfect for holiday baking, cookie boxes, or pairing with tea. Ideal for making ahead and freezing.
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Easy Nut Free Christmas Cookies
These sesame snowball cookies are my take on classic snowball cookies (also known as Mexican wedding cookies), using sesame instead of nuts like pecans or walnuts. The combination of ground sesame seeds and a small amount of sesame oil gives these cookies a rich, toasty flavor without being heavy or greasy.
They’re soft, crumbly, and intentionally delicate—closer to a shortbread-style cookie than a chewy one. If you like cookies that aren’t overly sweet and pair well with coffee or tea, these sesame snowball cookies are right up your alley.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these sesame cookies, and chances are you already have most of them on hand.
- Unsalted or salted butter (softened; butter flavor is key here)
- Sesame oil (adds aroma and depth—use toasted sesame oil)
- Sesame seeds, ground (white or mixed sesame seeds both work)
- Powdered sugar (keeps the texture soft and delicate)
- Cake flour (lower protein for a tender crumb)
- Salt (only if using unsalted butter)
Notes & substitutions:
- If you don’t have cake flour, all-purpose flour will work, but the cookies will be slightly less tender.
- Grind the sesame seeds finely so they blend smoothly into the dough.
- Stick to a small amount of sesame oil—too much can overpower the cookies.
How to Make Sesame Snowball Cookies
These cookies come together quickly and don’t require any complicated techniques, which makes them great for both beginner and experienced bakers.
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth
- Mix in the sesame oil and ground sesame seeds
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until crumbly
- Bring the dough together by hand and chill briefly
- Portion, roll into balls, and bake
The dough will look crumbly at first, but once you press it together with your hands, it forms a soft, workable dough that bakes up tender and light.
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the dough. Once the flour is added, mix just until crumbly to keep the cookies tender.
- Use finely ground sesame seeds. Coarse pieces can affect the texture.
- Bake until just set. These cookies should stay pale—overbaking will dry them out.
- Uniform sizing matters. Portioning evenly helps the cookies bake consistently.
How to Store Snowball Cookies
- 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 frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. These cookies are great for making ahead and freeze well both baked and unbaked.
More Nut Free Cookie Recipes
- Hojicha Snowball Cookies
- Matcha Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Snowball Cookies
- Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Enjoy! If you make this Sesame 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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Sesame Snowball Cookies
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Sesame Snowball Cookies are buttery and tender, with a delicate crumb and deep nutty flavor from ground sesame seeds and sesame oil. Lightly sweet and perfect for holiday baking, cookie boxes, or pairing with tea. Ideal for making ahead and freezing.
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp (105 g) salted butter
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 1/2 tbsp (40 g) sesame seeds, ground
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powder sugar
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp (140 g) cake flour
- pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
- Add the salted 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 ground sesame seeds, cake flour, and salt (if using unsalted butter). 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 equal pieces. 15 grams each for 20 pieces or 10 grams each for 30 pieces. and roll into smooth balls.
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (170°C/338°F convection). Bake for 15 minutes or until bottom is slightly browned.
- Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar to a bag and add warm cookies in. Gently toss to coat in powder sugar and then place them on cooling racks to cool completely. Dust with more powdered sugar to finish. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Butter can be substituted with a neutral oil. If using oil, increase flour to 150 grams.
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Cookies can be made with a hand mixer using the same method. If mixing by hand, smooth the butter with a spatula, then mix in the sugar until combined. Add the dry ingredients and use the side of the spatula to cut them in, scraping from the bottom of the bowl as you go. Once evenly mixed, press the dough firmly with the spatula to ensure no dry flour remains. Pinch the dough together and continue with the recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired, Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 69
- Sugar: 1.8 g
- Sodium: 4 mg
- Fat: 4.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.4 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
