Pecan Snowball Cookies


Cookies are one of the most popular desserts, and with good reason. They’re easy to make, delicious, and can be enjoyed any time of day. Pecan snowball cookies are a perfect example of this. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a holiday staple, but they are also great year-round. They’re a great treat to bring to a party or to enjoy with a cup of coffee on a lazy afternoon.


These cookies are easy to make and require only a few ingredients. You’ll need unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, salt, and pecans. The pecans add a nutty flavor and a bit of crunch to these cookies. Toasting the pecans brings out their natural oils and enhances their flavor.


To start making these cookies, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until they’re light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract, flour, and salt, and mix until everything is well combined. Stir in the chopped pecans, and roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Chill the dough balls for an hour in the refrigerator.

Pecan Snowball Cookies


PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
Chill Time: 1 hour
COOK TIME: 17 MINUTES
OVEN TEMPERATURE: 350°F
SERVINGS: 3 dozen

Ingredients:


1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened (room temperature)

¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped


Coating Sugar

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions:


  • In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer. Add vanilla extract, mix until combined. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined. Stir in the chopped pecans. Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop out dough and roll into a small ball, place on a foiled lined tray or baking sheet. Continue until all the cookie dough has been rolled into tablespoon sized balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place 12 or so chilled dough balls on a sheet. Bake for 17 minutes or until the bottom and top are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for about a minute or two, but not to long before your first roll through the powdered sugar.
  • When out of the oven and warm but touchable, roll each cookie into the powdered sugar, place on the cooling rack. They will be sticky which is what you want. Wait a few minutes and while still warm roll in the powdered sugar for a second time, place on the cooling rack. They will still be slightly sticky, but not as much as the first roll through the powdered sugar. Once cookies are completely cool, roll in the powdered sugar for a third and final time. The powdered sugar will coat the cookie perfectly, but won’t be sticky at all. Place on the cooling rack until ready to plate.
  • Repeat baking and coating process with remaining cookies. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes
  • While the oven was preheating and my cookie dough balls were chilling in the refrigerator, I prepared three baking sheets with parchment paper. I left the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to palace on a baking sheet and into the oven. Keeping the balls cold until ready to bake helps keep the ball like shape.
  • Since each cookie sheet takes about 17 minutes to bake, I put the next batch in to bake while I’m rolling the previous batch in the powdered sugar.
  • Toast pecans on the stove in a skillet over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. They can burn quickly, be careful. Use a wood spoon and keep the nuts moving in the skillet. Remove them to the plate to cool. If you used chopped pecans to begin with then skip the next step. If you used halved pecans, once cooled, place into a large baggie and use the back of a wood spoon to break into chopped pieces.


Once the dough balls are chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the chilled dough balls on the sheet, leaving some space between them. Bake the cookies for about 17 minutes or until they’re lightly browned on the top and bottom.


When the cookies come out of the oven, let them cool for a minute or two. While they’re still warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar. The sugar will stick to the warm cookies, creating a sweet and sugary coating. After the cookies have cooled a bit, roll them in powdered sugar again. The second roll will create a slightly less sticky coating. After the cookies have cooled completely, roll them in powdered sugar a third time. This will create a perfect coating that won’t be sticky at all.


These cookies are perfect for any occasion. They’re great for holidays, parties, or just as a treat for yourself. The recipe makes about 30 cookies, so you’ll have plenty to share with friends and family. Pecan snowball cookies are a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that everyone will love. With their nutty flavor and sugary coating, these cookies are perfect for any occasion. So why not make a batch today and enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea?