Holiday Pecan Snowball Cookies
Get ready to bake delicious pecan snowball cookies with this simple recipe! Made with butter, powdered sugar, and pecans, these holiday cookies pair perfectly with coffee or hot cocoa. Try our snowball cookie recipe today – it’s sure to bring joy to your holiday celebrations!
Make your holidays a little sweeter with pecan snowball cookies!
One of the best things about the holiday season is all the cookies! With so many different flavors and variations, there’s always something new to try.
But if you’re looking for a classic holiday cookie that will never go out of style, I highly recommend snowball cookies!
These delicious treats are also known as Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies, but here we like to call them snowball cookies – the pecans and chocolate chips are optional.
They are made with just a few simple ingredients, but the result is a melt-in-your-mouth buttery cookie with a nutty crunch. Coated in powdered sugar, they resemble little snowballs – perfect for the winter season!
Ingredients needed to make snowball cookies
To make this snowball cookie recipe, here are all of the ingredients you’ll need…
- Butter: To add richness and flavor to the cookie, use 1 cup of softened salted butter. The butter helps the cookie hold its shape and gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can also use unsalted butter and add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Powdered Sugar: Confectioner’s sugar is essential to making the powdery and crumbly coating that makes snowball cookies so irresistible.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a touch of warmth and sweetness to the cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: For the base of this cookie, you’ll need 2 cups of flour. To make it gluten-free, you can substitute it with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Salt: Add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness.
- Pecans: The star ingredient in these snowball cookies is pecans! Unless you have an allergy, don’t skip them – they add a delicious nutty flavor and crunch. You’ll need 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans for this recipe.
- Chocolate Chips: For a little extra indulgence, you can add some mini chocolate chips to the dough. This is totally optional but highly recommended!
Kitchen equipment needed
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
- Large Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Baking Sheets
- Silicone Baking Mats (or parchment paper)
- Cooling Racks
Tips for making the best sugar snowball cookie recipe
- To soften butter at room temperature, it usually takes around 1-2 hours. To do this quicker, fill a glass cup with hot water, pour it out, and place the cup over the stick of butter. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
- Make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies keep their shape and prevents them from spreading too much.
- To get the perfect round shape, use a cookie scoop or roll the dough into balls using your hands.
- To get that perfect powdery coating, roll the cookies in powdered sugar immediately after they come out of the oven (while they’re still warm). Then, once they’ve cooled completely, roll them again in powdered sugar for an extra dusting.
- For an extra special touch, add some festive sprinkles to the powdered sugar coating for a pop of holiday cheer!
What to serve with homemade snowball cookies
Snowball cookies are perfect for the holidays and make a great addition to any cookie platter! Serve them alongside other classic holiday cookies like gingerbread men, peppermint bark cookies, and snickerdoodles.
They also pair well with warm beverages like coffee or hot cocoa! Dip your snowball cookie in your drink for an extra delicious treat.
How to store leftover snowball cookies
If you have any leftover pecan snowball cookies, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw them before serving.
Just make sure they are completely cooled before storing or freezing!
Frequently asked questions about chocolate chip snowball cookies
Whenever I share this recipe, I get some of the same questions. Here are the most popular ones that people ask!
If you have a question that isn’t listed here, please leave them in the comments, and I’ll answer them as soon as possible. Thank you!
Why are my snowball cookies crumbly?
This could be because the dough was not mixed enough, or it may be too dry. Make sure all ingredients are well incorporated, and try adding a bit of milk or water to the dough if it’s too dry.
Why are my snowball cookies spreading?
This could be due to the butter being too soft or the dough not being chilled for long enough.
Make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking, and check that your butter is softened but still cool to the touch.
Can I use other types of nuts instead of pecans?
Yes, you can use any other type of nuts you prefer in this recipe. Walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts all make delicious substitutions!
Can I make snowball cookies without nuts?
Yes, you can omit the pecans if you have an allergy or simply do not like them. You can also try substituting with another type of nut or adding in some dried fruits for added flavor and texture.
Can I omit the chocolate chips?
Absolutely! The chocolate chips are optional and can be left out if desired.
More Grandma-Approved Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this recipe for snowball cookies, take a look at some of these other yummy recipes:
- Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
- No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
- Homemade Fudge Brownies With Frosting
Snowball Cookies with Pecans and Mini Chocolate Chips
Get ready to bake delicious pecan snowball cookies with this simple recipe! Made with butter, powdered sugar, and pecans, these holiday cookies pair perfectly with coffee or hot cocoa. Try our snowball cookie recipe today – it’s sure to bring joy to your holiday celebrations!
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened, but cool to the touch
- 1 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, or powdered sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons pue vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar to the butter and continue to beat on medium-high speed.
- Add vanilla to the mixture and beat until combined.
- Scrape the sides with a spatula, as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add in flour and salt until well mixed.
- Then turn the mixer on medium-high and add the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
- The dough will be thick and dry, but that’s normal.
- Wrap and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. If making ahead, the dough can be left in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Once ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Roll 1.5 Tablespoon balls of dough and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms and slightly brown on top.
- While cookies are baking, pour 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar into a bowl and set aside.
- All cookies to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes. Then roll each cookie into the confectioner’s sugar until completely coated.
- The sugar will melt slightly while the cookies are still warm. So, once the cookies have completely cooled, roll them in the sugar again!
- Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Notes
- If using unsalted butter add 1/8 teaspoon of salt to recipe
- It takes 1-2 hours at room temperature for the butter to soften, but still be cool to the touch. To make the process go quicker, fill a glass cup with hot water. Pour the water out, then place over the stick of butter standing on one end. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Refrigerate Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
