Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies

These Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are a simple yet elegant treat made with ground pecans, butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla. Rolled in powdered sugar after baking to create the perfect “snowball,” they are a must-bake classic Christmas cookie for every holiday dessert platter.

Try my chocolate chip snowball cookies, criss cross peanut butter cookies or Grandma’s shortbread next!

this recipe!

Classic Pecan Snowball Cookies

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

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

Why you’ll love these

• Melt in your mouth buttery pecan deliciousness
• Easy to customize using your favorite nuts
• Simple ingredients
• Easy to make even for beginner bakers
• Holiday season traditional favorite cookie that adds a great contrast to platters

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Butter, at room temperature
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla
• Finely chopped pecans or walnuts
• Powdered sugar for rolling the baked cookies

Step by Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Next, stir in the vanilla just until combined.

Stir in the all purpose flour until combined.

Mix in the chopped pecans.

Roll into 1″ balls and place onto cookie sheet.

Bake in 325°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then roll again in powdered sugar. (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. Enjoy!

Sandra’s tips for making the best 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

Can you make ahead 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!

Storage & Freezing Instructions

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. Thaw before serving.