Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Snowball Cookies

Ultimate Holiday Surprise! Unwrap the secret to the best cookies. This recipe stuffs classic Snowball Cookies with a warm, gooey Peanut Butter Cup center.

If there’s one cookie that screams “holiday classic,” it’s the beautiful, buttery, snow-dusted snowball cookie. But what if we told you we found a way to make this tradition even better? We’re taking that melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture and adding a hidden surprise: a gooey, decadent Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup center!

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This isn’t just a cookie; it’s a treasure hunt. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and ultra-buttery goodness, making it the one recipe you’ll be asked to bring to every holiday gathering. Plus, it’s a fantastic, fun project for the kitchen!

Ready to level up your holiday baking game? Let’s get to the recipe for these incredible Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Snowball Cookies!

Why You’ll Love These Snowballs

The Surprise Center: Unlike a regular cookie, there’s a warm, gooey miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup hiding inside, offering a perfect pocket of melted chocolate and peanut butter in every bite.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: The base is a classic buttery shortbread (snowball/Mexican wedding cookie) dough, which is exceptionally tender and just dissolves in your mouth.

Perfect Flavor Balance: They offer a wonderful mix of sweetness from the powdered sugar, a delightful saltiness from the peanut butter cup, and a cozy, nutty flavor from the pecans or walnuts.

Festive Appearance: Rolled twice in powdered sugar, they look like perfect little snowballs—making them ideal for holiday platters, winter gatherings, or cookie exchanges.

Irresistible Combination: It brings together three universally loved elements: a buttery cookie, rich chocolate, and creamy peanut butter. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter: Provides the rich, buttery flavor and the tender, “melt-in-your-mouth” texture. It is the essential fat base for the cookie.
• Powdered Sugar: Used both to sweeten the dough and to create the signature white, snowy coating on the exterior of the baked cookie.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: A powerful flavor enhancer that adds warmth and depth to the overall taste.
• Salt: Used to balance the sweetness and make the other flavors in the cookie more prominent.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the necessary structure and body to the dough, helping the cookies hold their round, snowball shape while baking.
• Finely Chopped Nuts (Pecans or Walnuts): Contributes the classic, slightly toasty flavor and grainy texture characteristic of traditional snowball cookies.
• Miniature Peanut Butter Cups: The surprise filling that melts in the center, adding a warm, gooey chocolate and peanut butter layer to the cookie.

Making Stuffed Snowball Cookies

1. Prep: Preheat the oven and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap all miniature peanut butter cups.
2. Make Dough: Cream the softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Add the flour, salt, and finely chopped nuts, mixing until the dough comes together. Chill the dough for 30 minutes if it is too soft.
3. Stuff & Roll: Scoop out about 11/2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it, and wrap it completely around one peanut butter cup, ensuring it is fully sealed. Roll the dough into a smooth ball.
4. Bake: Place the stuffed balls on the prepared sheets and bake for 10–12 minutes until the bottoms are barely golden.
5. Snow Coat: Remove from the oven and let cool for just 1–2 minutes. While still warm, gently roll each cookie in powdered sugar and place them on a wire rack. Allow cookies to cool before rolling them again to achiece the powdery look.

FAQs for the Tastiest Cookies

Can I use different nuts or make these nut-free?

Yes! While pecans or walnuts are traditional, you can substitute them with almonds or macadamia nuts. For a nut-free version, simply omit the nuts and replace them with 1​ cup of mini chocolate chips or an equal amount of additional flour (about 2-3 tablespoons) to maintain the dough consistency.

What size peanut butter cups should I use?

The recipe is designed for miniature or fun-size peanut butter cups. The standard-sized cups are often too large and can cause the cookies to break or spread unevenly when baked.

Why do I have to roll the cookies in powdered sugar twice?

The double roll is the secret to the classic snowball look! The first roll when the cookies are warm causes the sugar to melt slightly and stick, creating a base. The second roll after they are completely cool gives you that bright white, thick, non-melting “snowy” coating.

My dough is too crumbly and won’t form a ball. What went wrong?

Snowball cookie dough is naturally crumbly because it doesn’t contain eggs. If it’s too crumbly, your butter might not have been soft enough, or you might have used too much flour. Try mixing in a teaspoon of milk or a tiny bit more softened butter, a little at a time, until the dough is pliable enough to hold its shape when squeezed.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes! You can freeze them in two ways:

1. Freeze the Dough: Roll the stuffed dough balls and place them on a parchment-lined tray to freeze. Once solid, transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time, and then coat as directed.
2. Freeze Baked Cookies: Bake the cookies, complete the first sugar roll, and let them cool completely. Freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature and apply the final sugar coat before serving.

More Snowball Cookie Recipes

• Best Snowball Cookies
• Peppermint Snowball Cookies
• Cherry Pistachio Snowballs
• Pumpkin Spice Snowballs
• Lemon Snowballs