Description

Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are delicate, melt-in-your-mouth treats perfect for the holiday season or any sweet craving. These bite-sized cookies combine a rich buttery flavor with finely chopped pecans and are finished with a generous coating of powdered sugar, giving them a festive snowy appearance.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
½ cup Powdered sugar (for dough)
Pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients

2 sticks Butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

Additional Ingredients

1 cup Pecans, finely chopped
1 cup Powdered sugar (for coating)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it is at the right temperature when the cookies are ready to bake.
Prepare Butter and Sugar Mixture: In a mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and ½ cup powdered sugar. Blend these together using a mixer or by hand until the mixture is smooth and creamy, which helps to create a tender cookie texture.
Combine Dry Ingredients and Pecans: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and finely chopped pecans to the butter mixture. Mix until all ingredients are well blended forming a dough.
Shape Cookies: Form the dough into 36 small balls, using your hands to ensure uniform size. Place them evenly spaced on a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet to prevent sticking.
Bake Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Bake until the edges just start to turn golden, being careful not to overbake to retain their soft texture.
Cool and Coat: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely to room temperature on the baking sheet. Once cooled, place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl and toss the cookies in it until fully coated, giving them their iconic snowy finish.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature butter to ensure it blends smoothly with the sugar.
Make sure to finely chop the pecans so they incorporate evenly into the dough.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before coating in powdered sugar to prevent the sugar from melting.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
These cookies can also be frozen before baking; freeze dough balls on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Snowball cookies, Pecan cookies, Butter cookies, Holiday cookies, Powdered sugar cookies