Eggless South African Snowballs

Snowballs are one of South Africa’s most loved teatime treats. Made from soft sponge biscuits sandwiched with jam and icing, dipped in sweet syrup, and rolled in coconut, they’re nostalgic and irresistible.

These eggless South African snowballs are light, fluffy, and completely egg-free, making them perfect for family gatherings, school lunches, or afternoon tea, without sacrificing the classic melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft, fluffy, and delicious – These eggless snowballs are made with light sponge biscuits that have a soft crumb and soak up the sweet syrup beautifully, creating a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
• Egg-free and fasting-friendly – This recipe is a wonderful alternative to traditional snowballs, making it suitable for fasting periods or anyone who prefers to bake without eggs.
• Beginner-friendly – With simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients, this recipe is approachable even if you’re new to baking, while still delivering reliable, delicious results.
• Customisable flavours – You can easily adapt this recipe by using your favourite jam, adding icing, or experimenting with different food colourings for a fun and personal twist.
• Perfect for any occasion – These classic South African snowballs are ideal for teatime, birthday parties, school lunchboxes, bake sales, or whenever you’re craving a nostalgic sweet treat.

Ingredients

Biscuit dough:

Butter – Butter adds richness and moisture to the dough, helping create a really soft biscuit. Margarine can be used if needed, although butter gives a more flavourful result.

Castor sugar – Because it is finer than regular sugar, castor sugar dissolves easily, giving the biscuits a light, soft texture. If you don’t have castor sugar, granulated sugar can be used instead.

Fresh cream – Fresh cream helps keep the biscuits soft and melt-in-the-mouth, which is essential for these classic snowballs.

Vanilla essence – A small amount of vanilla enhances the overall flavour of the biscuits without overpowering them.

Self-raising flour – This flour contains a raising agent that provides structure and lift, resulting in light and fluffy biscuits.

Sugar syrup:

Granulated white sugar – Combined with water, this sugar is used to make the sweet syrup that coats the snowballs and allows the coconut to stick.

Water – Water forms the base of the sugar syrup and helps dissolve the sugar evenly.

Red food colouring (optional) – This gives snowballs their traditional pink colour. The colouring is optional and can be omitted or replaced with another colour if preferred.

Filling:

Icing sugar – When mixed with boiling water, icing sugar forms a smooth glaze that helps sandwich the biscuits together.

Boiling water – Used to dissolve the icing sugar completely, creating a thick, spreadable glaze.

Strawberry jam – Jam is spread between the biscuits to add fruity sweetness and the familiar flavour found in classic South African snowballs.

Decor:

Desiccated coconut – The final coating that gives snowballs their iconic look, adds texture, and complements the sweetness of the syrup perfectly.

How to make Eggless Snowballs

Biscuit dough:

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 170°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or use a non-stick baking tray. As every oven heats differently, keep an eye on the biscuits while they bake to avoid over-browning.

Step 2: Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.

Step 3: Add the vanilla essence, then gently fold in the fresh cream. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage because the cream and butter have different fat contents. This is normal and will smooth out once the flour is added.

Step 4: Sift in 2½ cups of self-raising flour and fold gently. Repeat with the remaining 2½ cups, mixing until a soft, non-sticky dough forms.

Step 5: Roll tablespoon-sized portions of dough into balls and flatten slightly. Place them on the non-stick baking tray, leaving enough space between them as they will spread a little in the oven.

Step 6: Bake for about 12 minutes at 170°C, or until the tops crack slightly and the bottoms are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow the biscuits to cool. They will continue to firm up as they cool.

Filling:

Step 1: Prepare the filling by mixing the icing sugar with boiling water until a thick, smooth glaze forms. Spread a small dollop of strawberry jam onto one biscuit and a dollop of glaze onto another, then gently sandwich them together. Take care not to overfill, although a little spillage is perfectly fine as long as the biscuits hold together.

Sugar Syrup:

Step 1: Make the sugar syrup by combining sugar and water in a medium pot over medium heat. Do not stir immediately. Allow the sugar to dissolve while the mixture simmers, then stir gently. Bring the mixture to a boil for about ten minutes, then let it cool. The syrup should feel slightly sticky between your fingers. Add a few drops of red food colouring (about 2 teaspoons) and stir gently.

Decor:

Step 1: Once the syrup is completely cool, dip each snowball into the syrup, then roll in desiccated coconut until fully coated. Set aside to firm up slightly before serving.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Make-ahead: You can definitely get a head start with these eggless snowballs. The biscuits can be baked and sandwiched a day in advance, then dipped in syrup and coated in coconut on the day you plan to serve them. This helps keep them fresh while saving time.

Freezing: The plain baked biscuits (before filling and coating) can be frozen for up to 1 month. Allow them to cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before filling, dipping, and coating. Freezing fully assembled snowballs is not recommended, as the syrup and coconut can become soggy once thawed.

Storage: Store finished snowballs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct heat or sunlight. For best texture and flavour, allow the snowballs to rest for a few hours before serving so the syrup can soak in fully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Yes, you can substitute margarine for butter. Margarine will also give the biscuits a soft texture, but the flavor will be slightly less rich and buttery compared to using butter.

Why are my biscuits too hard?
If your biscuits turn out too hard, they were most likely overbaked. Snowball biscuits should be lightly golden on the underside but still soft when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to firm up as they cool, so avoid browning them too much. Keep a close eye on the biscuits while they bake, as oven temperatures can vary.

Do I have to use food colouring?
No, food colouring is just for the classic pink look. You can leave it out and have white snowballs, or experiment with other colours for fun variations.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you tried these Eggless South African Snowballs, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below and share your experience. Your feedback helps other readers bake with confidence and inspires me to keep creating and sharing more comforting recipes.

More eggless desserts you’ll love:

• Eggless Snowball Cookies
• Chocolate Cookies
• Apple Pie Bars
• Butter Cookies