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Plate of powdered sugar snowball cookies with one broken open to show the pecan crumb

Snowball Cookies

Classic melt-in-your-mouth snowball cookies with butter, powdered sugar and toasted pecans, rolled twice in powdered sugar.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Cooling and rolling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 9 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup pecans toasted, cooled and finely chopped
For rolling
  • 1 cup powdered sugar plus more as needed

Equipment

  • 2 baking sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • Electric Mixer
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pecans 6 to 8 minutes, cool completely and chop finely.
  2. Beat the butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla and salt about 2 minutes, until creamy.
  3. Mix in the flour on low just until a soft dough forms, then stir in the pecans. Chill 20 to 30 minutes if the dough is too soft to roll.
  4. Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1½ inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
  5. Bake one sheet at a time 12 to 14 minutes, until the bottoms are light golden and the tops are pale.
  6. Cool 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar.
  7. When completely cool, roll again in powdered sugar.

Notes

Spoon and level the flour (about 280 grams) for tender cookies. Chop the pecans finely so the cookies hold together. Store airtight up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months; re-roll in powdered sugar before serving.