Pecan Snowball Cookies
These Pecan Snowball Cookies have just 7 ingredients that can be found in most pantries and the perfect nutty flavor for the holidays. It's an easy twist on the traditional snowball cookies that any pecan lover will adore!
Made from seven ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, our pecan snowball cookies recipe is a sweet and nutty traditional cookie that defines the holidays and winter. Whether you make this cookie for Christmas or your first snow day, your family is going to love the tradition.
Try this crumbly shortbread cookie with a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate. Add peppermint, chocolate, or toffee for a variation in flavor. Serve up this easy pecan snowball cookie recipe for any party or event and watch them fly off the platter. Each bite is a delightful blend of buttery goodness with the crunch of nuts and sweetness of powdered sugar.
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Ingredients for Pecan Snowball Cookies
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
- Butter - Substitutions are not recommended. Pro Tip: The better your butter, the better the flavor of the cookie.
- Vanilla extract - Store-bought or homemade vanilla extract works.
- All-Purpose Flour - I prefer King Arthur all-purpose flour.
- Chopped Pecans - If you have a food processor, pulse the nuts to get a nice consistent chop. If not they can be chopped by hand with a sharp knife.
- Granulated Sugar - also known as white sugar.
- Salt - This can be omitted if you use salted butter.
- Powdered Sugar - For coating the cookies after they bake.
How to Make Pecan Snowball Cookies Step-By-Step
- Preheat the oven to 375º F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. The cookies don't spread very much so you can put them close together.
- In a large bowl, add the butter and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy.
- Add the flour, pecans, sugar, and salt to the bowl. Beat until the flour is well combined and a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and work in any remaining bits.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or until it’s workable.
- Using a one-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and roll it into balls.
- Place on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the top of the cookie is dull and pale in color. It shouldn’t be brown, though.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack or paper towel to continue to cool until they can be handled.
- While they’re still warm, roll them in a small bowl of powdered sugar until completely coated.
- Place back on the wire rack or paper towel to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cooled completely, roll them again in the bowl of powdered sugar until completely coated.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tip: To add extra flavor to these cookies, add the pecans before they're chopped on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Toast them at 350 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes until they are browned and have become fragrant.
How to Store/Freeze Snowball Cookies
Keep your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Avoid humidity.
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To freeze the pecan snowball cookies, skip adding the powdered sugar and freeze the cookies for up to six months in a freezer-safe container or a zippered freezer bag.
Let the cookies defrost at room temperature and coat them in powdered sugar once they're thawed.
Tips for Best Results
Do not overbake these cookies. The cookies will not brown before they are finished and may not look "done" but will need to be removed from the oven promptly. They will become inedible very quickly. The pecans already add significant crunch.
Tossing the cookies in powdered sugar when they are warm will create a sticky coating so that when you toss them in powdered sugar a second time when they are cool it will stick.
This is one recipe that pulls much of its flavor from the butter. You will sacrifice too much flavor if you sub out with a butter substitute.
Using your hands to roll the dough will help because this dough is extra thick and hard to roll into balls.
Use other nuts, if you would like. Pecans are traditional, but other nuts will also work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Scoop the cookie dough into the size you want to bake them at and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Place in the freezer until frozen.
Place the frozen cookie dough balls in a freezer container or zippered freezer bag. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To bake the cookies, place them in the preheated oven frozen and bake at the same time or 1 to 2 minutes longer if the bottom edges don't appear to be golden brown and the top still appears to be shiny.
Yes. Just trade out the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free one-for-one flour. Since most of the flavor comes from the butter and pecans, you probably won't even notice a difference.
More Great Traditional Cookie Recipes
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Pecan Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the butter and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy.
- Add the flour, pecans, sugar, and salt to the bowl. Beat until the flour is well combined and a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and work in any remaining bits.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or until it’s workable.
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and roll into balls.
- Place on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the top of the cookie is dull and pale in color. It shouldn’t be brown though.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack or paper towel to continue to cool until they can be handled.
- While they’re still warm, roll in a small bowl of powdered sugar until completely coated.
- Place back on the wire rack or paper towel to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cooled completely, roll again in the bowl of powdered sugar until completely coated.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
I’ve always wanted to try this, And now I’m for sure going to, I have ate them before and I love them!! But can’t stop eating them! Thanks so much for your site ❤️💋🙏
Hope you enjoy them Faye!