Pecan Snowball Cookies are delicious two or three bite buttery shortbread style cookies filled with chopped pecans and then rolled in powdered sugar (twice!). They are a traditional Christmas cookie in the United States, but they are also known as a Mexican Wedding Cookie or Russian Tea Cakes. I’ve even heard some call them Pecan Sandies.
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I grew up in a small town in Iowa and these Snowball Cookies were always served at Christmas time, along with Saltine Toffee, Chocolate Star Cookies, Buckeye Cookies, Peanut Clusters, and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies! All traditional cookie recipes!
Ingredients & Supplies
Here are the ingredients and supplies you need to make this Pecan Snowball Cookie recipe:
- Stand mixer or hand held mixer
- plastic wrap
- parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mat
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- kosher salt
- finely chopped pecans
- all purpose flour
In the Springtime you can change up some of the ingredients to make Lemon Snowball Cookies!
How to Make Pecan Snowball Cookies – Step By Step
Make the dough completely then form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough each into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 14-16 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes then roll in powdered sugar. Cool for another 30 minutes and roll in powdered sugar again (it will really stick the second time!!).
You can also watch the Web Story for Making Pecan Snowball Cookies!
Freezing Cookies
These delicious little cookies can be frozen easily so that you can enjoy them at a later time! Which is especially great for the Holidays when we are all SO busy!
Make the cookies completely and cool… pop them in the freezer right on the baking sheet so they are not touching.
Once they are frozen individually you can pop them in a freezer baggie and keep for 3 months.
Frozen baked cookies- let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then store at room temp. Roll in powdered sugar one more time before serving!
Freezing Dough
You can also freeze the dough! Roll into individual cookies, lay out on a baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen solid pop them in a freezer baggie and keep for 3 months.
Frozen raw dough cookies – let them thaw in the fridge overnight then continue with baking and rolling in powdered sugar.
Make the cookies completely and cool… pop them in the freezer right on the baking sheet so they are not touching.
Once they are frozen individually you can pop them in a freezer baggie and keep for 3 months.
You can also freeze the dough! Roll into individual cookies, lay out on a baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen solid pop them in a freezer baggie and keep for 3 months.
Frozen raw dough cookies – let them thaw in the fridge overnight then continue with baking and rolling in powdered sugar.
Tips
Here are a few tips to make sure your Pecan Snowball Cookies turn out delicious!
- Make sure your butter is at room temp, softened!
- Use parchment paper or a silpat to make sure your cookies release from the pan perfectly!
- Give the cookies a good 2-3 minutes to cool out of the oven before rolling in powdered sugar. This allows the cookie to solidify, ensuring they don’t crumble.
- Don’t skip the “double dip”. This makes sure you get maximum powder sugar coating! The first coating is like a wet and sticky coating to help the second coat really stick!!
- If you use a dark baking sheet only bake 14 minutes… if you have a light colored baking sheet then bake 15-16 minutes.
Pecan Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter - softened at room temp
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar - divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup pecans - very finely chopped
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a hand held mixer) cream together the butter and ½ cup powdered sugar and the salt. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl down. Then gradually mix in the flour, just until the dough comes together.Finally mix in the chopped pecans until just combined.
- On a lightly floured surface flatten the dough into a 1 inch thick disk. Wrap it plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and with clean hands roll into balls.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, until they are barely beginning to brown.dark baking sheet = 14 minuteslight baking sheet = 15-16 minutes
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 2 minutes.
- While they are still warm roll in the remaining ¾ cup powdered sugar. Place on a cooling rack and let them cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Roll again in the powdered sugar (it will really stick this time!!).
- Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.
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John
Better double the recipe on this one. No one’s gonna eat just one or two!