Easy pecan snowball cookies recipe

Posted: November 22, 2024 Last modified: November 28, 2024

Pecan Snowball Cookies are quintessentially American, although there are plenty of similar recipes floating around the internet. They do resemble Mexican wedding cookies for instance too and apparently are also similar to Russian tea cakes.

Anyway, they’ve been on my baking list for ages and I’m glad I finally got around to making them. They are such delicious cookies and super easy to make too. The base of the dough is very similar to shortbread, but with lots of pecans. After baking, you place the pecan snowballs in a bag filled with icing sugar and you do that twice. That creates that lovely festive snowball effect. Perfect for the holiday season!

My tasting panel also immediately thought of typical Italian wedding cookies because they are nice and crunchy, melt on the tongue, have lots of nuts and are covered in icing sugar. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Ingredients for the pecan snowball cookies

For making these buttery cookies you need just a few simple ingredients. Best if they all are at room temperature:

unsalted butter
icing sugar – plus extra for creating the snowball effect
all purpose flour
chopped pecans
vanilla extract

As usual make sure to check the recipe card for full details on quantities and preparation.

How to make the pecan snowball cookies

For making these buttery pecan snowball cookies you start by creaming the butter and icing sugar together on high speed. This is best done in a food processor with the paddle attachment or use a hand mixer. Once creamed you turn the machine to a lower speed and add the dry ingredients: flour, pecans, vanilla and salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all gets combined. Once it forms a dough you can turn the machine off.

Prepare a baking tray or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. You can use your hands or a small cookie scoop if you think that is easier.

Bake the cookie dough balls in the oven for around 11 to 12 minutes. You don’t want them to be too golden brown. Lightly browned is what you are looking for.

Double dipping

Now once the cookies are baked you place them on a wire rack and let them cool down briefly. They should still be warm but not too hot for the first dipping into the icing sugar. Add the icing sugar to either a large bowl or a freezer bag and place the cookies inside. Carefully shake it around so all cookies are covered in a nice layer of icing sugar.

Now place them back on the cooling rack and let them cool down completely. Once they are cool you dip them into icing sugar again. This will create a lovely snowball effect on the finished cookies.

You can keep them in an airtight container for up to two weeks. This is really one of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes, although I do have a lot of favorites. Want to check out some of my other cookie recipes? Check below!

Do I need to toast the pecans before using?

Toasting the pecans prior to adding them to this simple cookie is definitely a flavor enhancer. It’s not absolutely necessary but it does increase the nutty flavor.

How do I make sure the sugar coating looks even?

Double dipping in the sugar usually already makes sure that the baked cookies look evenly coated, but you can always give it an extra dusting of icing sugar just before serving.

Can I add other flavors to the classic snowball cookies?

Yes you can add other flavors but make sure not to add too much liquid for instance or the texture of the cookies will change. You can swap the vanilla extract for orange extract or almond extract for instance. Adding a bit of cinnamon to the dough is also an easy addition.

Can I freeze the cookies?

You sure can freeze the cookies as well. The dough freezes well but you can also freeze the baked cookies. Do the icing sugar dusting after defrosting though and it might not stick so well.

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Pecan snowball cookies

These pecan snowball biscuits are incredibly delicious crunchy biscuits with bits of pecan disguised as little snowballs.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

Metric | US Customary

125 grams butter
35 grams icing sugar
115 grams flour
65 grams pecan nuts finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

extra

100 grams powdered sugar for the snowball effect

Instructions

Cream together the butter and icing sugar. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour, pecans, vanilla extract and salt.
Roll the dough into balls about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11-12 minutes at 175°C/340˚F (conventional oven). Do not bake them too long, they should still be lightly browned.
Remove the cookies from the oven and leave to cool briefly until they are still warm but not too hot. Put the remaining 100g icing sugar in a ziplock bag and dip the biscuits in it. Use a fork to scoop them out again and place them on a cooling rack.
When completely cooled, dip the cookies in the icing sugar again.

How to store

Store the cookies in a tightly closed airtight container for up to two weeks. The dough can also be frozen for up to three months.

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