Brown Butter Macadamia Snowball Cookies — Crispy, Buttery Bites

These Snowball Cookies are elevated with brown butter and macadamia nuts for a tropical twist this holiday season. Thank you to MacFarms® for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love all things Hawaiian, especially macadamia nuts. I often transform classic recipes into tropical versions, like macadamia coconut guava rugelach, mango oatmeal cookies with coconut and macadamias, and coconut macadamia banana cookies.

My latest experiment turns a classic holiday snowball into Brown Butter Macadamia Nut Snowball Cookies. The brown butter deepens the flavor, while toasted macadamias and a hint of coffee add a subtle island vibe.

Helpful tools

A food processor makes quick work of finely chopping macadamias; if you don’t have one, use a high-speed blender or chop by hand with a sharp knife.

A stand mixer with a paddle attachment speeds up mixing, though an electric hand mixer or mixing by hand will work since this dough doesn’t require heavy mixing.

Use a small cookie scoop to portion dough evenly for consistent cookies.

Ingredients and substitutions

The full ingredient list and quantities are in the recipe card below. Notes and substitution tips:

1. Brown butter – simple to prepare and adds a nutty, caramel depth to baked goods. If you’ve not made it before, follow a step-by-step browning method.
2. Cornstarch – used with flour to create that classic melt-in-your-mouth snowball texture.
3. Flour – all-purpose works well; cake flour will make an even more tender, delicate cookie.
4. Coconut milk – a small amount helps bind the dough since brown butter is lower in water. You can substitute regular milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream.
5. Honey – a touch of honey sweetens the dough; the cookies are rolled in powdered sugar after baking for additional sweetness.
6. Macadamia nuts – the star ingredient. Use roasted unsalted macadamias, or roast raw nuts before using to bring out their buttery flavor. Avoid using salted roasted nuts, which can make the cookies too salty.
7. Instant espresso – pairs naturally with macadamias and Kona coffee notes. If you don’t have instant espresso, very finely ground coffee works in a pinch.
8. Salt – a pinch enhances overall flavor.
9. Vanilla – pure vanilla extract adds warmth and complexity.
10. Powdered sugar – for rolling the finished cookies to get the classic snowy appearance.

How to make macadamia snowball cookies

Below are streamlined steps to guide you through the process. The printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

Start by browning the butter and letting it cool completely. For this recipe you can use the browned milk solids—no need to strain.

Finely chop the macadamia nuts. Use a food processor or chop by hand, taking care not to process them into nut butter.

Then make the dough:

1. Beat together cooled brown butter, coconut milk, vanilla, and instant espresso.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, salt) and finely chopped macadamias, then add to the wet mixture.
3. Mix until just combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
4. Portion the dough with a small cookie scoop and roll into 1″ balls. This recipe makes about 25 cookies.

Bake the chilled dough until the edges are lightly golden. After baking and cooling briefly, roll the cookies in powdered sugar. For a lighter coating, roll once when slightly warm; for a more pronounced snowy look, roll again when fully cooled.

More baker’s tips

• When to roll in powdered sugar – Rolling once when cookies are slightly cooled keeps the sugar intact and avoids an overly sweet, soggy coating. A second roll after cooling gives a heavier snow-like appearance.
• Cookie size – Bite-size 1″ cookies are ideal because they’re delicate; larger cookies are possible but more fragile.
• Flavor variations – Try substituting the espresso with 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp orange zest for a bright ginger-orange version.

Storage

Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 3–4 days, or refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

To make ahead, freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time. I do not recommend freezing baked cookies because they’re fragile and can lose their powdered sugar coating.

5 from 1 vote

Brown Butter Macadamia Snowball Cookies

By Trang Doan

These classic snowball cookies are upgraded with brown butter and toasted macadamias for a tropical twist.

Servings: 25 snowballs

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 11 mins

Total Time: 26 mins

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Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• Food Processor
• Small Cookie Scoop
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

• 4 oz unsalted butter (yields ~90 g brown butter)
• 2 tbsp coconut milk (25 g)
• 2 tbsp honey (42 g)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso (1 g)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (97 g)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (33 g)
• 3/4 cup roasted macadamia nuts (96 g), finely chopped
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted, 50 g) for rolling

Instructions

• Brown the butter over medium-low heat for 4–6 minutes. Transfer to the mixer bowl and cool completely.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the roasted macadamias.
• Sift flour and cornstarch into a bowl, stir in salt and chopped macadamias, and set aside.
• When brown butter is cool, add coconut milk, honey, vanilla, and espresso. Beat to combine.
• Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Scrape the bowl with a spatula and refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour.
• Portion dough with a small scoop and roll into 1″ balls (about 15 g each). Yield: ~25 cookies.
• Keep dough balls refrigerated while preheating oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Place dough balls on a baking sheet 1″ apart and bake 10–11 minutes until the bottom edges are golden brown.
• Cool the sheet on a rack 10–15 minutes. When cookies are cool enough to handle, roll in powdered sugar and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

• If using raw macadamias, toast them in a skillet until fragrant and lightly browned, then cool before chopping.
• Instant espresso can be substituted with very finely ground coffee. Coconut milk can be substituted with regular milk.
• Flavor alternative: replace the espresso with 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp orange zest for a bright variation.

Nutrition

Serving: 19g, Calories: 96kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

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