Pecan Snowball Cookies
These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are rolled in powdered sugar to look like little snowballs.
Also called Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies, they are a holiday staple that comes together with just a few basic ingredients.
Why You’ll Love It
- Only 6 ingredients, all pantry staples
- No eggs required
- Tender, crumbly texture that melts on your tongue
- Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges
- Easy to make in large batches
- Freezer-friendly dough and baked cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar, plus 1 cup more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120g) finely chopped pecans
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the softened butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Add the flour gradually, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped pecans with a spatula.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls using your hands.
- Place the balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until the bottoms are just barely golden.
- The tops should remain pale.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Place 1 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
- While still warm, roll each cookie gently in the powdered sugar to coat completely.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, roll in powdered sugar a second time for a thick, snowy coating.
Helpful Tips and Substitutions
Finely chopped pecans work best because large pieces can cause the cookies to crack.
Use a food processor to pulse the pecans until finely chopped but not turned into paste.
Butter temperature matters here since too-soft butter makes the dough sticky and too-cold butter will not cream properly.
If the dough feels too soft to roll, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Walnuts or almonds can be substituted for pecans.
For almond snowballs, swap the pecans for almonds and use almond extract instead of vanilla.
Do not skip the double-roll in powdered sugar since the first coat absorbs into the warm cookie and the second creates the signature snowy finish.
If your powdered sugar has lumps, sift it before rolling for a smooth coating.
Serving Ideas
Arrange on a platter dusted with extra powdered sugar for a festive presentation.
Package in clear gift boxes with tissue paper for holiday giving.
Stack in a mason jar and tie with ribbon for a simple homemade gift.
Serve alongside hot cocoa, coffee, or tea.
Include on a holiday cookie platter with chocolate crinkles and gingerbread for variety.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
Bring refrigerated dough to room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling for easier shaping.
Freeze unbaked dough balls on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Bake frozen dough balls directly from the freezer, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving if the coating has absorbed.
Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months and should be re-rolled in powdered sugar after thawing.
A Holiday Must-Have
These cookies have appeared on holiday tables for decades because they deliver on both taste and presentation.
The simple ingredient list makes them easy to throw together when you need a last-minute addition to a cookie tray.
Make a double batch because they disappear quickly.
A small cookie scoop helps you portion uniform dough balls for even baking.
