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Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies

by Tim Flegg

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These Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are a simple yet elegant little cookie with ground pecans, butter, flour, sugar and vanilla.

Rolled in powdered sugar after they are baked to create the perfect "snowball".

These are a must bake Christmas cookie on most dessert platters.

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What are Snowball Cookies

Snowball cookies are small, buttery, and crumbly but dense cookies that use confectioners’ sugar or (powdered sugar) to create the famous classic snow topping we all know and love.

These best Snowball cookies are a very popular treat that instantly bring back nostalgic feelings in all of us during the holiday season.

Whether you know them as Snowball Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes , these sweet treats are always a hit during the holidays.

If you made crescent shapes you may also know them as Viennese crescents or Greek kourabiedes.

Melt-in-your-mouth with the nutty taste of pecans in every bite, these are really quite the special little cookie.

These classic cookies are holiday family favourites much like peanut butter blossoms, grandmas shortbread cookies, jam thumbprint cookies or snickerdoodle's.

Why you'll love these snowball cookies

  • Melt in your mouth buttery pecan deliciousness
  • Easy to customize using your favorite nuts
  • Simple 5 or 6 ingredients depending on whether you use nuts
  • Easy to make even for beginner bakers
  • Beautiful addition and contrast for any cookie platter
  • Holiday season traditional favorite cookie for many families

Ingredients & substitutions for Russian tea cakes

  • All-purpose flour
  • Butter, at room temperature
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Finely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • Powdered sugar for rolling the baked cookies
A plate full of snowball cookies sitting on a red and black checkered napkin.

Step by step instructions for Mexican wedding cookies

You start with butter and sugar, creamed to a state of fluffiness followed by vanilla, then flour and glorious chopped pecans. Isn't that quick and easy!!?

Roll into 1" balls and place onto cookie sheet and bake in 325°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Roll them in powdered sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. I like to roll or coat them twice, again after they cool I have a small bowl of icing sugar beside the cookies to roll or coat them again.

Let the excess fall back into the bowl and repeat with the next cookie.

A redd dish full of snowball cookies. The cookies are sitting on a red and black buffalo check napkin.

If you haven't tried these before, you're in for a special treat. I bet you can't have just one!

Top tips for snowball cookies with nuts

  • Use room temperature butter not melted as soft butter can cause the snowball cookies to flatten out.
  • Roll in powdered sugar twice to create the perfect snow coating once when warm and then again after they cool to ensure they are covered well.
  • You can make them with or without nuts but we feel that pecans really take these holiday favorite buttery cookies to the next level of goodness!
  • Some prefer using the powdered sugar in the dough we prefer the taste and texture of the granulated sugar, let us know what you prefer?

Storage & freezing snowball cookies

  • Store snowball cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
  • Freeze them in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
Close up image of snowball cookies in a red bowl with Christmas decor in the background.

Can you make ahead and freeze Snowball Cookies?

Yes you can make them early and freeze snowball cookies to help with time management during the holidays.

After they cool place them gently in freezer bags removing as much air as possible, try not to let them touch each other.

Simply thaw these holiday cookies overnight in the fridge (you may have to roll them again in the powdered sugar) and serve, they still taste delicious!

Try more favorite Christmas cookies

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Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies

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Description

A simple yet elegant little cookie with ground pecans, butter, flour sugar and vanilla. Rolled in icing sugar, these Snowball Cookies are a delicious treat!

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and ½ cups pecans, finely chopped

¼ cup granulated sugar

Pinch salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling the cookies into)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 2. Add in vanilla and stir until combined.

3. Gradually add in flour, beating after each addition.

4. Gradually add in pecans stirring until well combined.

5. Shape dough into 1" balls and bake 1" apart in 325F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. The bottoms will be lightly browned.

6. Cool just until you can handle the cookies by hand, then roll each one into powdered sugar.

7. Re-roll cookies again once they have cooled for 15 minutes.

Store cookies in airtight container for up to five days.

Makes 30 cookies

Notes

Substitutions

For a change, try walnuts instead of pecans.

  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Oven Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Holiday Recipes, Christmas Cookies, Cookies

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