Description
Snowball Cookies are rich, buttery treats loaded with finely chopped pecans and coated twice in sweet, powdery confectioners’ sugar. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies have a delicate crumb and a light golden color, perfect for holiday baking or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (105 g) pecans, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners’ sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the room temperature unsalted butter with ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour, finely chopped pecans, and kosher salt starting on low mixer speed. Increase to medium speed and mix until fully incorporated. The dough will have a coarse sand-like texture.
- Shape Cookies: Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, drop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Roll each portion into a ball using your hands, spacing them about one inch apart.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are a light golden brown but not too dark.
- First Sugar Coating: Remove the hot cookies from the oven. While still warm, roll each cookie in the remaining ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar to coat thoroughly. Place them back on the lined baking sheets for cooling.
- Second Sugar Coating: Once completely cool, roll the cookies in confectioners’ sugar a second time to create the signature snowy, powdery finish.
- Storage: Store the snowball cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Snowball Cookies have a rich, buttery texture and are packed with chopped pecans for added crunch.
- Rolling the cookies twice in confectioners’ sugar ensures a sweet, powdery coating that is signature to snowball cookies.
- Do not overbake; the cookies should remain light golden for the best texture.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature and consume within 3 days for optimal freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 127 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
