Description
These Easy Snowball Cookies with Toasted Pecans are buttery, nutty, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Made with simple ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes, they’re perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, last-minute desserts, or any occasion where you want a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus extra for coating, about 1/2 cup more)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
Instructions
- Toast the pecans. Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add the whole pecans and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes until they’re fragrant and slightly darker in color. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool completely. Once cool, finely chop them with a sharp knife.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
- Add the vanilla. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add this to the butter mixture gradually, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the pecans. Add the finely chopped toasted pecans and fold them in with a spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will be fairly stiff and a little crumbly.
- Shape the cookies. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls between your palms. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set but not browned. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
- Cool slightly. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
- Coat in powdered sugar. While the cookies are still warm (but not hot), roll them gently in a bowl of powdered sugar. Place them on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once fully cool, roll them in powdered sugar one more time.
Notes
Don’t skip toasting the pecans—it’s the key to deep flavor. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling to avoid dry cookies. Double coat with powdered sugar for the best snowy look. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months (freeze before final sugar coating).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 55
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: snowball cookies, pecan cookies, Christmas cookies, easy cookie recipe, holiday cookies, butter cookies, powdered sugar cookies