Prepared with only five ingredients, Sweetened Condensed Milk Snowballs are light and fluffy, and only slightly sweet. They look plain and drab, but they are quite delicious, very easy to make, and extremely budget friendly too!
There’s always that one person who will lean over your beautiful Christmas cookie platter, looking for a cookie that has no nuts, no chocolate, no sprinkles, etc. They prefer simple sweets without all of the added, fussy bits. For that person in your family, prepare these Sweetened Condensed Milk Snowballs. In fact, you could make two batches – make the plain one you see pictured here, and one with your favourite holiday recipe add-ins!
I absolutely love to make these cookies. They’re just so easy to make! Not only do you get to mix everything together in just one bowl, but there’s no need to roll the dough into balls, or to use a rolling pin. Just use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough, and set them right onto your prepared baking sheet. They hold their shape in the oven, and bake up light and airy.
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There are probably a million Christmas cookies that have the word “snowballs” in the title. In fact, I have a few of them right here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen. The most popular of the snowball recipes that I have are my Traditional Newfoundland Snowballs. I prepare a batch of those every year. They make a great addition to a cookie platter or a cookie tin that you prepare for friends and neighbours. A few weeks ago, I posted another snowball-type of recipe in my 12 Truffles of Christmas series. If you missed it, my Cherry Snowball Truffles can be found here.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE:
- Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature! To be perfectly honest, I have made these with both salted and unsalted butter and there’s no difference in taste or appearance once all is said and done. Use what you have on hand.
- Canned Sweetened Condensed Milk – This recipe has not been tested with low fat condensed milk. Depending on where you live, the size of the can my differ. Be sure to have at least 1/2 cup!
- Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
- Baking Powder – This is used to increase the volume of the batter and to add texture as well.
- Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar. It is used in frostings quite often. When dusted lightly onto cakes and cookies, it adds just a touch of sweetness, but more importantly, it looks very visually appealing!
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
I have a lot of recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen with sweetened condensed milk as one of the ingredients. (Click here to see them!) Growing up in Newfoundland, it was always something I’ve been aware of. But, that’s not the case for everyone. I get many questions from readers about it. For someone not familiar with the gooey, sticky canned milk, it might be easily confused with canned Carnation condensed milk, for instance. Let me explain what it is here.
So, first of all, it’s condensed. The milk is condensed by removing water. This can by accomplished by applying heat. The water will evaporate causing the milk to condense, which thickens the milk. Sugar is added to sweeten the condensed milk. The main purpose of adding sugar is to prolong the shelf life of condensed milk, which can sit on room temperature shelves for years. Sugar prevents microorganisms from growing in the milk and helps to thicken it even further—it’s added after the milk has been boiled, reduced, and pasteurized.
If you find an unsweetened condensed milk, it’s most likely that it’s simply evaporated milk or condensed milk, which is thick, but not gooey and sticky. Evaporated milk is often used as a cream added to tea or coffee. If you are unfamiliar with it, please read the can carefully. Also, shake it – can you feel the liquid splashing about inside the can? If so, it’s not sweetened condensed milk; it’s evaporated or condensed milk only!
HOW TO MAKE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK SNOWBALLS
This is an easy recipe and comes together very quickly. The first thing you want to ensure before you get started is that the butter is at room temperature. I cannot stress how important this is! If the butter is not completely softened, you will not get a dough to form with a consistency that will pack together well. The butter must be soft, but not melted, so do not put it in the microwave to soften it. Leave butter at room temperature for 3-5 hours or even overnight!
Looking For More Christmas Confections?
Lord Byron’s Kitchen has more than enough to satisfy your sweet tooth! Click on the links below to see a countdown series of holiday recipes from that category!
Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy – about three minutes. Next, pour in the sweetened condensed milk and beat into the butter for two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute or two. Finally, add the flour and baking powder. Beat into the butter and milk mixture until mixed through.
Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into mounds onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Be sure to leave at least two inches between each mound of cookie dough. Bake for 12 minutes at 320 degrees F. Remove from the oven and leave the cool slightly on the pan for five minutes. Finally, remove from the baking sheet and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Use a sifter to liberally dust the cookies with the confectioner’s sugar. Allow cookies to fully cool before storing.
HEY – WHAT ABOUT ADD-INS?
You can add things to the cookie dough to make these Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies different or less plain – if that’s your thing! Extracts will work in this recipe, but please keep in mind that the cookies you see in the photos do not have any extract. Adding extract will change the consistency of the cookie dough, so depending on how much you use, your cookie might be flatter when it has finished baking. In any case, never add more than two teaspoons of extract. Peppermint extract or orange extract would be so good!
You can also add chocolate chips or festive red and green candy coated chocolates, like M&Ms, for example. You might also consider adding nuts. If you add any nuts, like peanuts or pecans, for example, be sure to toast them first to get the maximum flavour. I would even consider adding coconut to these cookies. Again, toast the coconut first.
Finally, something chewy would also work well. What about dried cranberries or raisins? What about candied cherries? They’re always a great choice and always make cookies look extra festive and colourful! There really are so many options. If you decide to add anything to your cookies, pay attention to the recipe card below so that you know when to add it and how much to add.
STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING
When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!
Lord Byron’s Annual Christmas Cookie Series
Did you know that Lord Byron’s Kitchen has been sharing a 24 Cookies of Christmas Series for the past several years? Click on the links below to see all of the recipes from each series on one page!
If you plan to freeze your Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies, you certainly can! Once cooled, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!
You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out onto a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. If packaging, wait until the condensation has evaporated. Whenever I work with anything covered in confectioner’s sugar, I like to use a glove to prevent getting fingerprints on it as much as possible! Once thawed, dust once more with confectioner’s sugar and pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.
QUESTIONS?
If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!
Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 100 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!
Do You Like This Recipe?
You should consider trying these other delicious recipes too!
Sweetened Condensed Milk Snowballs
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy – about three minutes.
- Next, pour in the sweetened condensed milk and beat into the butter for two minutes. (If adding an extract for flavouring, add it now, but do not add more than 2 teaspoons!)
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute or two.
- Finally, add the flour and baking powder. Beat into the butter and milk mixture until mixed through. (If adding anything like chocolate chips, cranberries, or chocolate candies, do so now, but do not add more than 1 cup!)
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into mounds onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Be sure to leave at least two inches between each mound of cookie dough.
- Bake for 12 minutes at 320 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and leave the cool slightly on the pan for five minutes.
- Finally, remove from the baking sheet and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Use a sifter to liberally dust the cookies with the confectioner’s sugar. Allow cookies to fully cool before storing.
Notes
Nutrition
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Josie says
Can this dough be frozen to shape and bake later?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I have not tried freezing the dough before baking.
Gwynn Galvin says
A delicious addition to my holiday baking!
Jennifer says
Is 3 tsp baking powder ok to 2 cups flour?… As it sounds too much
SKMcD says
The cookies as written were fine, but barely sweet at all. If you are thinking this might be a traditional, sweet sugar cookie, it is not. I added 1 tea of vanilla. Refrigerate the dough well before baking and they will hold that”mound” shape even better. If I make another batch, I will add a little salt to my next batch. I could almost taste flour…I think salt and more vanilla would help that. Although I don’t want an overly sweet cookie, this one is barely sweet.
Beth says
Good info to have. Thanks for sharing.
Donna says
Thanks so much for the tips! I added 1 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract With a 1/2 tsp salt. The are fantastic!
Kj HENISA says
As a vet baker I found the dough very soft, so of course they spread out. I did add 1 tsp Vanilla & will probably add more next time & I will also add finely chopped nuts, probably cashews. I also, will definitely chill the scooped balls before cooking. I still, however, feel the dough was too soft & my only thought is that I may have had slightly more than a 1/2. C of sweetened condensed milk. Will keep an eye on that, as it was leftover from the “key lime slab pie” I made for Thanksgiving. Anyway, they are good & so simple I will continue to work with them. 🥰
Carolyn says
Refrigerated scooped balls before baking so they didn’t spread too much. I used 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp almond extract, also used salted butter because that’s generally what I use for baking to balance sweetness. So good! I’ll be making these many more times.
Linda says
What size scoop
byronethomas@gmail.com says
It’s a 1 1/2 tablespoon sized scoop.
Ginger says
I made these cookies today and they are a great, simple cookie! I like that they aren’t overly sweet. I made a batch of cookies with AP flour and a batch with Bob’s GF baking flour. Both turned out well. GF flour makes some desserts more crumbly, and they did feel a bit more delicate, but held their shape. A very good recipe, but I may try adding vanilla extract next time.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Ginger. 🙂
Lleftie says
Thank you,Ginger! I was just wondering how this recipe would hold up to a gluten free makeover.
Eva says
How can I shape the cookies of I don’t have a scoop?
Shannon Diane Dewitt says
Buy a scoop. They’re inexpensive.
Kathleen Aguilera says
Try shaping with 2 spoons, or depending on the dough maybe you can roll dough balls in your hands
Carole says
Mine fattened anyway. I wish someone would tell us how to make the cookies come out of the oven in balls! The dough was hard to work with.
Teresa says
If you don’t have a cookie scoop, just roll some dough in your hands, then place on cookie sheet. I always place my cookie tray in the freezer, before, and after loading up with cookies, for 5-10 min. It helps keep cookies from spreading out. Hope it helps. I had the same problem, until I learned this trick. Happy Holidays!
Carol Condrey says
Use a spoon, it doesn’t have to be a scoop
Ona says
Looks delicious. In the nutrition breakdown is it for 1 cookie?
Lilly says
I just calculated, it is for one cookie but of course it depends on the individual ingredients you use. I used gluten free flour and coconut sweetened condensed milk, and it’s about 110 calories per cookie for mine 🙂
H says
How long will these cookie store for in a biscuit barrel if given as a gift what is the life span of the stored cookie
S sz ndy says
I am not fond of coconut could you use something else for these cookies. They sound so good especially with the cherries in them
Sue says
I’m not seeing where she adds Coconut where do you see that?
Vivianne says
can you make these chocolate ? and would you use powdered cocoa
Catherine says
Have you tried this using fat free sweetened condensed milk?
Deb says
Mixing these up today, I realized I had grabbed the FF sweetened condensed milk.! The cookies are easy and delicious ! They flattened as they cooled though- I don’t know if that was because of using FF vs the regular? You’d think there was enough fat in these with a cup of butter 😀
Vyom Overseas says
Your blog is impressive, thanks to the quality of your recipes & other content.
Thanks for sharing this content. This was very helpful for me.
Melanie says
Ever tried making with coconut condensed milk?
Andrea Kalka says
Hi Bryan, what flavors/extracts have you used/recommend?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Andrea – plain vanilla extract is always a safe bet, but these cookies are really good with almond extract too. I’ve also made batches with peppermint, orange, and even coffee extract.
Annette says
How much extract do you use or do you “eyeball” the amount?
Have you ever added food coloring to the recipe?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Annette – I have not tried to tint the dough with colouring, but that does sound like it would make the cookies look more festive! As for extracts, they can be quite strong, depending on which one you choose. To keep the cookies puffy, I would not use more than 2 teaspoons of extract.
Brigitte Wright says
Andrea. I made a batch 2 days ago with almond extract and dark chocolate chips. Came out beautifully. An hour ago I made a batch with the remaining condensed milk and used rum extract and white chocolate chips. Came out even better. I used an ice cream scoop about 1/2 full and roll the dough into balls. It made 28 cookies ….. to die for. Wonderful recipe that is easy to play with, with flavorings & additives.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m so happy to hear this, Brigitte! 🙂
Anamarie says
Hi how did you put the chips in the batter like you would choc chip cookies! Or roll into ball then insert a chip or two and roll it again?
Stacy Wagner says
Hi is there any adjustments to the flour for high-altitude?
Linda says
Hi Stacy, I live at high altitude. Use half the baking powder and turn up your oven a wee bit more. The cookies were delightful! Merry Christmas.
Janna Murphy says
I couldn’t find the amount of flour, baking powder or confectioners sugar
Jamie Clark says
Does this recipe have to have real butter or can You use margarine?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I only ever use real butter. Margarine will not work.
Roberta McCartney says
I have been making these for years and have never used real butter. Margarine work very well.
Peggy Teixeira says
Stick margarine.
JD says
Don’t ever use margarine. It’s not a healthy choice. Butter is natural. Margarine is fake.
Britney says
Can you use gluten free baking flour?
Lisa says
I bet these would be great with lemon extract
Peggy Teixeira says
I agree.
Terri Gosney says
What a great idea! I LOVE Lemon flavoring!
Thanks!
Toni says
Lovely cookie — super light and moist. Reminds me of shortbread cookies, but not as dense. The only thing kerping it from getting 5* is that, like shortbread, it’s too simple a flavor for me. Could do with maybe a pinch of salt?
I’m not sure how much the dough would be affected by adding liquid extracts, but maybe ground spices would do the trick. I added ground nutmeg over the powdered sugar, but next time I’ll add it to the dough. Fresh lemon or orange zest would be yummy too. Thanks for an easy, delicious recipe. It’s on my make-list this Christmas!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Toni. Yes, extracts work well in this recipe, and so does ground spices. I love this cookie with some pumpkin spice blend mixed in with the flour.
Rhi says
I tried using salted butter and they were way too salty! Would not recommend.
Cathy says
Making your own sweetened condensed milk is so easy and so inexpensive.
Put in blender:
2/3 C white sugar
1 C powdered milk
1/3 C boiling water
3 T soft butter or margarine
MIX in blender until thick. Equal to 1 can Borden’s Sweetened Condensed Milk
Roberta McCartney says
Thanks. I’ll give that a try.
Marlene says
At today’s prices, it is not cheaper to make your own. I did for years until powdered milk prices got so high, it was more expensive than fresh milk. The last batch of milk I made cost $.75 more than the can of milk.
Melody Spearman says
Can frozen blueberries be added to dough?
Melody Spearman says
Can I add frozen blueberry?
I’m baking them now so I’m just gonna go ahead and add them. I’ll let you all know how it turns out
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Melody – I did not get to respond quickly enough. How did they turn out? I have not tried adding frozen fruit.
saniel Underwood says
Wanted to try this but can’t use milk, highly allergic . There is a vegan version of sweetened condensed milk made with coconut milk, I am curious if anyone has tried this substitute. Any other vegan Christmas cookies on the horizon? Gluten free recipes?
Lori Markowski says
When do you add the confectionery sugar? You recipe does not say. It only say to dust with it. Do you add it to the mix or not? Thanks!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
You just dust with it. There is none in the cookie dough.
Susan says
I used vegan sweetened condensed coconut milk ne a teaspoon of vanilla extract. . They turned out delicious! Thank you for the easy, yummy recipe!
Angella says
Hello, have you ever tried adding egg nog with cinnamon?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I have not tried that. 🙂
Allyssa says
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make sweetened condensed milk snowballs recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you so much!
Antoinette says
Hi Byron.
I am waiting for a reply to the message I sent you the other day, in regard to the oven temperature for the sweetend Condensed Milk snowball cookies.
I’ve left the butter out over night and I’m waiting to bake the cookies…
Your recipe said the oven temperature should be 320°…??
My oven only gives 25° increments.
Should the directions have read, 350°.
Please reply ASAP so that I can get the cookies baked.
Hope to hear from you soon.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi! 320 is correct. In your case, set your oven to 325. 😊
Patricia says
I only have an AGA so I can’t adjust temperature to 320 or 325. I have 350 oven or 250 . Is there a way to do in 350 but less time or cover with foil?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Patricia – I would go with 350 and reduce the baking time by 1-2 minutes.
Cynthia says
Tried these today, used 1 tsp orange extract (could have used a bit more) and 1 C cranberries (chopped, but should have chopped them finer). We found the texture to be between a cookie and a shortbread, and really enjoyed them. I baked one test cookie and wound up turning the oven up to 325 and 13 minutes. Thank you for the recipe.
Natalie says
Can you use a food processor?
Linda Keller says
Hello Lord Byron, do these cookies freeze ok? Three weeks ok?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, absolutely!
Lanien Livingston says
Is the 1 cup of powdered sugar only for dusting the cookies after baking them?? I was not sure if the powdered sugar was to be added to the batter. (Although I see that – that is not an ingredient listed in the add flour step.)
Thank you!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, just for dusting. 🙂
Kim says
Could these be dipped in melted chocolate after they are baked and cooled?
Beverly Wilcox says
I made these cookies today following g the recipe exactly. They came out beautiful and Loce the texture, but they crumbled too easily when trying to eat them. Any suggestions on what might be wrong?
Marlene says
Probably over-baked. Try baking a minute or two less. Your oven may run a little hot. I always test my cookies a couple min. less than called for.
Laurie says
Hi, I just made a double batch, and this is an incredible cookie! My next batch I’m adding a splash of bourbon and some finely ground pecans; can’t wait! Thank you for this recipe! I’m ready to try all of yours 🙂
Darcy Walters says
I saw these cookies and thought they looked magical and perfect for my cookie celebration. Holy geez, I was so right! I did forgot to measure the sweetened condensed milk and accidentally added about a cup. They still turned out beautifully, just not “snowballs” more like a regular cookie. I added peppermint extract, to try and create something like my mother’s favorite candy, the buttermint. They turned out light as air, and I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour. I love the light minty-ness, and I can’t believe I’ve never baked anything like this before. Lord Byron, thank you!
Carol says
Can I refrigerate the dough and bake the next day?
Miluse Dzurkova says
How long they can be in fridge
Maddy says
What if we don’t have a cookie dough scoop?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
You can try rolling them into balls, although I have not tried this.
Ann Roseberry says
Love this recipe! I made mine with almond extract & pyre vanilla bean paste extract. Delicious!!
Maureen says
I’m very excited to try this recipe. Every year I add a new cookie to my list but this year I actually chose 2 of your recipes. This one and your cream cheese cookie. Super excited. The reviews are amazing. Thank you for sharing ❤️
Emily says
These were so simple and incredibly delicious! I went the peppermint extract route as I needed something a bit lighter to round out my cookie tray. I can’t wait to try the many variations! Excellent recipe!!!
Jan says
This was a super fun and delicious recipe! I did not ADD anything to the recipe, but might try next time!
Brenda says
Wonderful light tasting cookie without the overpowering sweetness as you find in some cookies. Yours looked prettier than mine but maybe I needed a cookie scoop rather than a table spoon. Will make again!
Lauren says
These cookies came out very good. I used more of the sweetened condensed milk because my dough was very thick my hand mixer couldn’t handle it. I had to set my oven to 325 and baked for 17 minutes. They were a touch golden brown on the bottom. Cake like and soft and delicious with the powdered sugar!
summer wine says
Pefect l will doule the batch next time. Thank you for you clear instructions and information
Bunny says
In the US, Sweetened Condensed Milk is sold in 14 oz. cans.
To add a little color to cookie trays of Snowballs, I pulverize dried strawberries, mangos, blueberries, etc., and add to the sugar to roll the snowballs in. They are pretty pastel colors, and have a hint of flavor from the dried fruits.
Avis says
These look delicious and I am looking for cookies recipes to make for a wedding so I am going to use this for sure. Would like to know if chocolate can be added and if so how much do you suggest would be using powdered unsweetened cocoa. I think making chocolate and the original souls make a nice looking tray😁. Hopefully you can answer this message.
Sue says
I want to do the same thing. I am going to just swap out a couple of tablespoons of flour/chocolate to see if that works.
Robin says
How many cookies should one batch of this make?
Viv says
Can you convert recipe into grams please,I’ve tried but the answers on google vary
Neena says
WOW. So easy and delicious
susan ross hill says
Oh my these are SO good. True, not overly sweet- which is a nice change. They look just like snowballs. So easy and pretty!
Aurora Henry says
Absolutely wonderful recipe, my whole family loved them.
Darla says
These are the new favorites around here! Made them tonight with peppermint extract and green food coloring for a St. Patrick’s day party tomorrow. So easy and a huge hit!!
Susannah says
Delicious, not to sweet, quick and easy. I mixed the batter in the Thermomix. Great recipe. Thanks
Wendy Hyde says
Wonderful recipe – exactly as described. Slightly sweet, tender, and unbelievably versatile!
I experimented with the first batch by dividing it in 4, keeping one plain and flavoring the others:
– mini chocolate chips, tossed in a mix of cocoa powder and XXX sugar
– chopped toasted coconut, tossed them in a mix of powdered, toasted coconut and XXX sugar
– orange zest, chopped dried cherries, and chopped pecans, tossed in a mix of orange juice powder and XXX sugar
I don’t know which is my favorite!
Betsy says
They all sound delicious but what do you mean by XXX sugar? In the dough (and if so, how much) or the powdered when dusting?
Glykeria says
I love those cookies they’re very buttery very delicious is it to make and I left them plain I didn’t put nothing inside that amazing thank you very much
Stephanie says
These look interesting.
Patty says
Could you serve these with fresh berries and whipped cream ? A new twist on strawberry short cake ?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I think that would be lovely, Patty.
RUTHANN RICHARDS says
Love cookies that are not overly sweet…thank you for this lovely cookie.
Quinn says
Has anyone tried swapping butter out for a nut butter or even greek yogurt to reduce the fat??
Geneva says
Omg! These were amazing little taste of Heaven!!! So easy to make for a quick take over to a friends for coffee or tea. Thanks I did add cherry extract and almond extract and plan to make powder sugar drizzle on top maybe add a cherry.
Linda says
I made these today, using coconut sweet condensed milk as I am dairy free. I also used dairy free butter. They came out fantastic. The coconut sweet condensed milk gives it a fantastic flavor.
Kat says
This is a great recipe, the cookies are delicious. I used lemon extract although 2 teaspoons hardly flavored the dough so I will add another 1/2 tsp next time. Also not very sweet so will add some sugar next time as well. Thanks for the recipe! I was having trouble figuring out what to do with the sweetened condensed milk.
Wanda says
I had some sweetened condensed milk and searched out recipes. I found this one. I made them with self rising flour and no baking powder. They were delicious!! Great recipe. I will make these again. So simple and elegant.
Cathy Starnes says
I love these not-so-sweet cookies. I used plant based butter and gluten-free flour. I added almond flavoring and pecans. The dough was pretty soft so I stuck the bowl and scoop in the freezer for 15 min to firm up. They turned out great except a little crumbly. I think I’ll eat two for breakfast in the morning! Thanks for the great recipe!
Janice Baluyut says
Can shortening sticks be used instead of butter?
lesley says
would these work with chocolate or de leche condensed milk for variety
Diva J says
Yum yum and more yum! I love lemon so added some lemon extract. Gave these little gems such a great little hint of lemon. They have received the stamp of approval from my in house cookie tasting expert aka my husband. Can’t wait to serve the family these little delights. Thanks for this recipe. Goes into the favorite box for sure.
Kelly says
These are so addictive! They are lovely. Just the right amount of sweet without being sugary. They are a new favorite.
Pam says
These cookies were great! The only reason I didn’t give them 5 stars is because you really need to add 2 teaspoons of an extract. I made them with almond extract and mini semi- sweet chocolate morsels sprinkled with powdered sugar and also a batch with orange extract about 3/4 teaspoon of orange zest and chopped cran raisins and white chocolate chips – Delicious! Similar to a Russian Tea cookie but no nuts
Beth Davis says
Made these tonight. They’re easy to make and absolutely delightful! They’re perfectly sweet without being overwhelmingly sugary. I did add one teaspoon of vanilla. These are wonderful and I will definitely make them again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Linda L. says
Easiest cookie I’ve ever made! I added 1 tsp of almond extract. Delicious and so simple.
Anamarie says
I’m telling you its a fabulous cookie ! I chopped up some Ghirardelli’s chocolate chips in the dough and I used almond extract that’s a must! Soo soo good!Ohh also a pinch of salt!
Renee Trusky says
An easy cookie recipe. Perfect for teaching your kids. My oven might be hotter than normal. My first batch at 12 minutes I thought was perfect until I took my last batch out at 11 minutes. They were considerably lighter and baked perfectly.
Cindi Cotes says
Thanks for the fun recipe! I made it per directions, adding one teaspoon of almond extract. I used a 1.5 tablespoon scooper. The stayed upright and exactly as your photos. They’ll be so cute on a cookie tray! As for the flavor, it reminds me of a fluffy Spritz.
Maria Ramos says
Recipe looks easy and pantry friendly…do you think adding cocoa powder will compromise the end result too much
Mary Ann says
This recipe was easy to follow and came out exactly as the photo looked. They are very light and airy and have a slight crunch. I will definitely make them again.
My cookie scoop made exactly 30 cookies.
Mary says
I just made my first batch and I am just delighted with the outcome. So light and fluffy. I am gf and df so I used nuttelex, gf flour and gf baking powder. Just beautiful. Thankyou for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Sara says
I tripled the recipe and divided the dough so I could try flavors. For chocolate I added cocoa powder and 2tbsp Nutella. I wasn’t super pleased. For peppermint I added peppermint extract and red sugar sprinkles and they were delicious! For lemon I added the juice and zest of a lemon and a few tablespoons of flour and they were absolutely perfect! I couldn’t leave the lemon ones alone!
Keira says
What a fun idea.
Debbie says
Could you use dulche de laiche instead of the sweetened condensed milk?
Laura says
Simple and delicious. I have a tragic sweet tooth, but it sure is nice to have a truth that’s not over the top sugary and sweet. These are just wonderful with coffee or tea.
Maria Senerchia says
Hi Lord, thank you for your first comment. Do you have the recipe for your Cherry Snowballs Cookies using maraschino cherries?
Thank you!
Lasha says
Thank great
Ann says
I made a double batch of these for a Christmas cookie walk at church. Followed the basic recipe and helpful tips. Ended up with about 5
dozen cookies. They were a BIG hit, being one of the first cookies to sell out! I will be surprised if these are not a first request for Christmas
2023. Thank you for helping make the sale such a success.
reRe k. says
So good, all I had on hand was ube condensed milk and I soo recommend it!! Thank you for this awesome easy recipe ♥︎
Melissa says
I really enjoyed these! Tastes similar to a shortbread cookie, but instead of being crunchy, it’s cakey and practically melts in your mouth. I used 1 stick unsalted butter (’cause my kid had already unwrapped it) & 1 stick salted butter. I added 1 tsp vanilla. Love that this is like a blank-canvas recipe, like I’m excited to try other variations! I have some maple extract (my favorite flavor on earth) so I’m gonna try that next time. 😀
Kathleen Bailey says
Seriously, best cookies ever. I did add the 2 tsp vanilla extract and I added the 1/2 cup powdered sugar to the mix with the flour. My kids beg for these. Like seriously, beg.
Bonnie Beadle says
These are so easy and delicious I usually burn cookies these came out perfect I couldn’t get my husband to stop eating them so addicting Thank you
Nikki says
Looks delish! Has anyone tried using almond flour? Would it work as a substitute? Thanks!
Jen says
I found your recipe while searching for a way to use up some leftover sweetened condensed milk. These cookies were lovely! The only changes I made was to use salted butter and after baking and letting the cookies cool a little, I rolled them in a bowl of powdered sugar like Mexican wedding cookies. Absolutely delicious and addictive! Thank you
Jennifer says
It is disheartening to see commenters, making rude, pretentious, snotty comments on someone’s ideas whatever happened to if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.
Patty says
These cookies sound fabulous! However, 3 tsp of baking powder sounds like a lot. Can someone please tell me if this is the correct amount? I really want to make these!
Thanks so much!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Patty – yes, 3 teaspoons is certainly the right amount. 🙂
Jane Smith says
Just wondering if powdered vanilla would throw off the balance…or vanilla paste….
byronethomas@gmail.com says
No, it would not at all, in fact, I think the vanilla powder would be a great addition.
Kathy says
I made these and it’s Texas we don’t have autumn yet it’s still hotumn. So I used a few teaspoons of lemon extract and they turned out great. Serving them at family dinner with paletas. I did taste one pre dusting and post the sweetness was perfect with the powdered sugar on them.
Christine says
I made these this morning and they are delicious! I used a combination of 98% butterscotch morsels and 2% peanut butter as the add-ins.
I didn’t use any extracts and ended up with 27 cookies.
They’re very tasty!
Carole says
Another commenter said she chill the dough before cooking so it would be easier to form these, so I chilled mine. Didn’t occur to me that they would need to be cooked longer if chilled, so it took about 20 minutes. Also, the cookies did not end up as balls….more like a regular cookie. Disappointing. However, I added 2 teas. almond flavoring. They were delicious. Only made 20 cookies.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Adding extract (liquid) to the dough will change the texture of the dough which will most likey result in a less “puffy” cookie.
Trish says
I added 2 tsp of banana cream extract and they turned out perfect!
Joanne says
Carol, I found that refrigerating the balls before baking is best to keep ball shape. Also, I only used 1 1/2 sticks of butter and they were perfect. I did raise the oven temp a bit, too. The first time I made them, they came out flat, which is why I made these adjustments.
Ruth Walters says
I just made them exactly like the recipe and they turned out beautifully. So tasty. A million thanks for this keeper. Next time, will try almond extract. I’m from Nfld. too Ruth
Kyle Spencer says
I had to use baking soda instead of baking powder. Use 1tsp baking soda for 3tsp baking powder. Good recipe.
Denise says
I grew up in Newfoundland as well! LOVED IT! Just had to share how it was the best place I’ve ever lived…nothing like it. Be well…btw the Snowball cookies were amazing!
annamrie says
Thses are the best cookie ever…I added chopped walnuts and pecan fantastic!
Stephanie Lewis says
I absolutely love the look of these, and plan to make them for Christmas, but I can’t find any mention of how many this recipe makes … I’m probably being stupid, but … Please could tell me? Thank you
Trish says
The recipe says 22 but I made mine a smaller, 2 bite cookie and got about 40 – 45.
Tammy says
OH MY, These are so wonderful. I saw the recipe right before Christmas last year. I made them as part of our cookie exchange. I added the mini semi sweet chocolate chips to one batch. They were the crowd favorite. They are a required cookie for the yearly exchange.I’ve had to make them several times throughout the year because we love them that much. Because I fear losing this recipe (Pinterest crashes…) I wrote it down and added it to my recipes box that contains all the handed down recipes.
Julianna says
easy to make, not too sweet, tender cookie. Big fan, gave a batch for a gift & now making myself a batch too.
Roxanne says
These cookies are awesome. These will be my go to cookies forever.
Trish says
I added these cookies to the myriad of others that I make at Christmas. It is interesting to read the comments. I found the dough to be nice and “pillowy”. The cookies held their shape well….no chilling the dough ahead of time. No, they are not overly sweet….I sprinkled with colored sanding sugar for the holiday season, and feel they were just sweet enough. I find that old baking powder will make cookies flatten. No, I am not a chef, but I have been making cookies for years and that is my experience. Thanks for the recipe!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks for the tip, Trish. It just might be something as simple as old baking powder. For the life of me I can’t figure out where this recipe goes wrong for some people – especially those who said they followed the recipe exactly as written. Every single time I make them I get the exact same results, which is just like what you see in the photos. I’ve even tried different brands of butter and different brands of sweetened condensed milk to see if that was the issue, but they always bake up nicely. You just might be on to something with the baking powder! I do think that those who say the cookie dough is too dry is the result of not measuring the flour properly. Never scoop and dump the flour. It should always be airated first.
Ann Allen says
These are AMAZING! I loved them! Follow her recipe perfectly and they turn out great! I have been trying with extracts , vanilla was great and tonight I did Cinnamon Butter extract! I did not have a cookie scoop, to me the photo looked like they were big cookies so I went to the store to get one of those large icecream scoops ? It’s more like 3 TB scoop! 🤣 The batch only made 11 cookies but they literally were huge snowballs and were AMAZING! I can eat these all day cuz they aren’t too sweet I love them! Thank you for sharing! Trying some Rum Extract tomorow, having a Cookie exchange Christmas Party this week so trying to get my favorite flavor! Merry Christmas 🎄🎄
Jasmine says
These are quite possibly one of the best cookies I’ve ever had. SO good, I’m definitely going to make them every year!
Leigh L Kirks says
I made these today just as the recipe says and they turned out perfect. Did not flatted or fall at all. But I then had to turn around and make a batch where I added some vanilla and mini chocolate chips (at the request ((more like demand lol)) of my 15 yr old son). They too turned out great. Thank you so much for giving us a new cookie to add to our festivities!!
Leigh Kirks
Michele Gauvreau says
Delicious and quite a hit at Christmas! I added 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract; the taste and texture was perfect! Thanks for sharing your recipe, it’s a keeper!
Therese says
Had to up my oven to 325 & add a minute to bake time
Kari says
This recipe is great! I’ve made them twice and used 2 teaspoons of almond extract and shook them in a bag with powdered sugar. They turned out perfect.
Suz Arch says
dreamy….and so delicious.
Gloria says
Just made these today following the recipe exactly. I wanted to try them with the basic recipe because I can always experiment with extras later. They are AMAZING! I don’t think I will even bother try to add anything else to them. By mistake, I used 1/2 a can of instead of 1/2 a cup but I don’t think it affected them much if at all. They did not flatten but maintained a nice thick domed shape. The texture was just slightly crumbly but soft and cake-y at the same time. Plenty sweet for me as I don’t like overly sweet desserts. I’m going to make these often and will definitely try more of your recipes.
Ella says
I have never heard of these before. Look cool.
Shelley S says
I made the cookies almost exactly to the recipe the first time with the exception of adding a teaspoon of almond extract. While they were nice attractive mounds, they were relatively tasteless IMHO.
The second time I made them with 2 teaspoons of almond flavoring, and added some finely chopped maraschino cherries. While the extra liquid made them less of a ball and more, I’m sort of a half hemisphere, the taste improvement was dramatic.
I just made them again just now, and this time I added the 2 teaspoons of almond and the cut up maraschino cherries but I also added 1 teaspoon of the cherry juice. These ones are not nearly as rounded, but not flat either, but the taste is out of this world, and the pink color when you bite through the powdered sugar, is just way more attractive.
I will make them this way frequently!
Kristal Stilley says
These were so fast to make and were delicious! I added some mini chocolate chips. Great recipe!
Xinnia says
Searched for a recipe since had condense milk left over from another dessert.
The cookies just came out of the oven and they look like the picture here and are very easy and quick to make. I added a pinch of salt and a little lemon syrup I had also left overs.
They are very delicate once they cooled will decide if dusted them with the powdered sugar or make a lemon glaze.
Thank you!
Faust says
I used to make these in my easy bake oven as a little girl so making and eating them now is so nostalgic for me. 10/10 delicious!
Cindi says
This is a great base recipe. – soft and with a cake like texture. I read some of the recommendations and made some changes. I added 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of almond extract. Definitely helped it, but next time I’m gonna get some vanilla paste to increase the depth of flavor. I added 1/2 tsp salt. In addition I added 1/2 cup or white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of shredded coconut. I’d refrigerate at least an hour before baking. After they cooled I dusted them with tons of powdered sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon. My family loved them.
Donna says
Hi, thanks for sharing this recipe, just took them out of the oven, they are great. As noted in other comments I added a pinch of salt and a little vanilla essence, I also substituted in 4 tablespoons of buckwheat flour. I put the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before scooping out balls with the ice cream scoop, will put the tray in the fridge next time too. Great base recipe for playing with flavours, the texture is fantastic!