My Italian Grandma's Classic Butter Balls Cookie Recipe (5 Ingredients, 25 Minutes) Cookies Desserts Italian Recipes Holidays Snacks Low Sodium Recipes Gluten-free

Italian butter ball cookies always remind me of my mom and our big Italian family. Butter balls are one of my mom’s signature cookies and one of my favorites, by far. She always makes them at the holidays but she makes them at other times of the year, too, in part because family members request them. This Italian cookie recipe is perfect summer, spring, winter or fall.

I was surprised to learn how easy her butter ball cookie recipe is to make! I think because my mom is such a great cook and baker, I always presume that what she makes is difficult, and am surprised when it’s not. I suspect this is the result of thinking everything my mom did was magical when I was a kid. These moist cookies are a great example. They’re surprisingly easy to bake, too. If I can make them, so can you.

The cookie batter is made with butter (lots!), powdered sugar, flour (all-purpose or gluten-free flour), vanilla and chopped walnuts. The mixture is formed into balls, baked and then rolled in powdered sugar. The result is a dessert recipe you will not be able to stop eating.

Be sure to make copies of this easy Italian butterballs cookie recipe to share with friends and family. This cookie just may become a dessert tradition in your family, too. 

Cuisine: Italian / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 25 to 30 

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter, softened (my mom uses a little extra)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose or 1:1 gluten-free flour)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

For Rolling

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Here's' how to make it: 

1. Add all the cookie ingredients to a bowl and mix by hand. (For gluten-free cookies use gluten-free flour. Be sure your butter is softened before making the batter.)
2. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet (they don’t expand so don’t need to be spread out).
3. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 15 minutes.
4. Let the cookies cool for a minute or two or until you can pick them up without breaking them. Pour the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar. (They won’t fully coat yet.)
5. When cookies are completely cool, roll them in the sugar again to get the full coating. Store the cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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