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Pecan Snowball Cookies are a Christmas classic for a reason – they’re melt-in-your-mouth tender, filled with chunks of pecans and look so pretty!
What’s to love
- An old-fashioned recipe from Grandma. This is a tried-and-true recipe, passed down over generations. Absolutely a favorite!
- Just a few ingredients. This recipe only needs a handful of ingredients, which is always a plus during the busy holiday season.
- They look so pretty. You’ll double-dip the cookies in powdered sugar – this makes them so pretty, truly like little snowballs!
While Snowball Cookies (and Snickerdoodles, Thumbprints, Molasses Cookies, basically all the cookies…) are a Christmas classic, they also go by the names of Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes. So many names for the same delicious treat!
Printable recipe
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar (sifted if clumped together)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (OR mini chocolate chips OR leave out)
For rolling:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted if clumped together)
Tips
- Don’t add more butter than the recipe calls for: Too much butter will make these melt away in the oven. They are still tasty when flat, but do not look as pretty.
- Don’t overbake: You want these JUST lightly browned on top, or they will be dry. Snowball cookies bake in 10-15 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs. Check on them after 10 minutes, then watch them closely if you decide to bake for longer.
- How to chop the pecans: This is entirely up to you. Leave them chunkier so they are visible, or chop them finely so they melt into the cookie. Either way works!
- Bake one tray at a time. This is VERY important. If you bake multiple trays together, the cookies on the lower tray can flatten out.
Instructions
- Prep:The shaped cookies go in the freezer, so you will preheat the oven a little later in the recipe (baking temp 350°F.)Get your ingredients ready.
- Cream butter:Place butter, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat well with an electric mixer.1 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add flour and sugar:Add flour and powdered sugar and mix until fully combined.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar
- Add pecans:Add the pecans (or mini chocolate chips) and mix on low until incorporated.1 cup chopped pecans
- Shape cookies and chill:Roll dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls and place on lined baking sheets. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Bake:In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies in batches (only one baking sheet in the oven – or the cookies on the bottom could melt away!) for 10-15 minutes or until JUST lightly golden brown in color.
- Roll in powdered sugar:Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Roll the cookies in the sugar and set on a cooling rack to cool completely.1 cup powdered sugar
- Re-roll and serve:Roll in the powdered sugar again. Serve, or store in cookie tins for 5-7 days.
Video
Pecan Snowball Cookies
make your kitchen smell like home?Snowball Cookie FAQs
Snowball cookies freeze without any problems, either unbaked or baked.
To freeze unbaked cookies: Roll the dough into balls and freeze them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to freezer bags labelled with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 2 months).
To bake, let the dough balls sit on a plate for 30 minutes, then bake as directed in the recipe.
To freeze baked cookies: Freeze the cookies in freezer-friendly containers. Separate layers with wax paper.
To thaw, leave them on a cooling rack at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar again to make them look pretty and fresh.
Yes, you can use stick margarine in place of the butter. Do not use a buttery spread, or a soft/spreadable type of margarine.
Yes, you can. If you only want to roll them once, make sure you do it when they are still hot – just cooled enough so you can comfortably touch them. This helps the powdered sugar stick better.
Rolling them for a second time is purely cosmetic, it adds a thicker layer to make them look even prettier.
Perfect to serve with
More cookie recipes
It wouldn’t be Christmas without cookies – so here are the best recipes, from Candy Cane cookies to classic Gingerbread and more!
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More recipes you may enjoy
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Vicki says
There is no recipe on this page, only pictures and how to instructions. That’s great, but quantities would be really nice. I’ve used the jump to recipe button and manual scrolling and it ends at the sentence More Easy Christmas Cookies. 🙁
Nora says
I don’t know what happened for you there, Vicki, but it must have been a bug. The recipe card is right below the “more easy Christmas cookies” part. It has big lettering at the top saying “printable recipe card”. Sorry for the negative experience you had!
Elena says
I followed the directions and measurements exactly, the exception was that I combined everything by hand. Perfect!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Elena!
Michelle Cannon says
These are one of my FAVORITES! I’ll have to try your recipe.
Cindy says
Tried these yesterday because I needed a last-minute recipe that didn’t call for a long chilling time. We baked some without freezing even (forgot….) and they still turned out fine! And I LOVE the funky pecan pieces, like our Meemaw used to make. thanks for a great recipe!!!!
Nora says
So happy to read this Cindy! Glad to know the cookies work without freezing, too. And yes to chunky pecans 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to review the recipe, I appreciate it so much!