Pecan Snowball Cookies

Pecan snowball cookies are the one cookie you must have on your holiday cookie platters. Buttery bites with a crumbly texture, a slight nutty flavor and a delicious sweet coating. Perhaps you remember these little round snowball shaped cookies on your grandma's cookie tray along with sugar cookies.

Much like Kahk in the Middle East, these are the quintessential Christmas cookie.

Often referred to as Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes or Russian butter ball cookies. Snowball cookies are surprisingly a year round cookie, but due to its shape and color, many choose to make them during the winter and holiday season.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love It
• 📝 Recipe Ingredients
• 🥄 Recipe Instructions
• 💡 Expert Tips
• 🧺 Storage
• 👩‍🍳 Variations
• 💬 Recipe FAQs
• 📣 Related Recipes
• Pecan Snowball Cookies

❤️ Why You'll Love It

• An easy recipe with simple ingredients. Only a handful of ingredients and you probably have them all in your pantry now.
• Less time with the oven on. These cookies do not spread when baked, so more cookies can be placed on the same baking sheet. Which means, you're done faster and clean up is a breeze!
• A classic Christmas cookie in less than 30 minutes.
• An excellent choice for care packages, potlucks and holiday cookie exchanges as they hold their shape and travel well.
• They remind people of holidays and family.

Many say as they bite into them, that they are reminiscent of younger days. Days when there would be piles of holiday cookies in different shapes and colors as well holiday desserts and family gathered together.

📝 Recipe Ingredients

🥄 Recipe Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Chop the pecans so that they are nice and small pieces.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, finely chopped pecans and salt, stir with a whisk.
3. In a large mixing bowl with your mixer on medium speed beat the butter, vanilla extract, almond extract and powdered sugar until creamy.

1. Add the dry ingredients ½ cup at a time until evenly mixed and dough-like.
2. Using a cookie scoop form 1-inch balls of dough and roll in your hand until an even ball has been formed.
3. Place the cookie dough balls ½-1" apart on prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake then allow to cool for about 5 minutes or until able to handle. Roll each ball in powdered sugar and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar again after cooled.

💡 Expert Tips

• Chopping pecans is necessary because when you buy chopped pecans the pieces are not small enough. You'll want really small pieces of pecans, so more chopping in the food processor gets the pecans nice and small.
• If the cookies flatten during baking, then there was too much butter. Make sure to be precise when measuring out.
• If the dough starts to feel soft, you can chill the dough balls a little before going into the oven, about 30 minutes. You can expect the dough balls to flatten just a tiny bit during cooking, at the bottom but not much.
• The second coat of sugar is important because I find that the first dusting of powdered sugar kind of dissolves into the cookie a little and so to get that nice white finish a second coat is needed.

🧺 Storage

• Once cooled completely these snowball cookies can be stored in an airtight container line with paper towels at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
• If you're planning on serving them later in the week, then I suggest saving that second coat of powdered sugar until right before you serve them up.

👩‍🍳 Variations

• Switch up the type of nuts used in your snowball cookies. Give it a try with finely chopped hazelnuts, pistachios or walnuts instead of pecans.
• Add mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough before rolling into balls.
• Use festive food coloring or gels to make them green or red.
• Roll them in edible cake glitter for a sweet sparkle.
• Make them chocolate! Swap out ¼ cup of the flour with ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.

💬 Recipe FAQs

📣 Related Recipes

Cookies are pretty much the best part of any holiday, right? Whip up a batch of these homemade cookies during anytime of the year and you'll feel the holiday vibes!

• Maamoul is a traditional Middle Eastern cookie made usually filled with date. It has a soft texture and a delicate flavor.
• Love sinckerdoodles? here is an easy snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar.
• Treat yourself, and your loved ones, this holiday to a dreamy, creamy, no bake dessert. A simple combination of coffee, cocoa, and mascarpone cheese. Tiramisu is a fabulous Italian layered dessert that is perfect for entertaining.
• Raspberry thumbprint cookies recipe is a quick and easy recipe for buttery, sweet, tart raspberry jam filled cookies for any occasion. Sooo good you’ll have a hard time sharing.
• These whipped shortbread cookies are sure to be a hit with anyone who tries them! The whipped texture gives them a unique and creamy flavor, and they are so easy to make.
• Kahk are Egyptian cookies traditionally made during holidays and in weddings. They are made from a mixture of flour, ghee, and sugar, and are often filled with nuts, sweet fillings or sometimes left plain. Small rounds dusted with powdered sugar and enjoyed by people of all.

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