These Pecan Snowball Cookies are a Classic Christmas Cookie that is so easy to make. They are soft, buttery, dense and melt in your mouth. Just like grandma use to make!

 

Snowball cookies are called all sorts of different names. Some refer to them as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cookies, Butterballs, snowdrops and more! I call them Pecan Snowball Cookies because that was the name I grew up with.
If you are looking for other easy classic Christmas Cookies try my Butter Cookies or Whipped Shortbread Cookies.

Whatever name you choose to call these traditional Christmas Cookies, you are going to LOVE the melt in your mouth texture. The rich butter, nutty ground pecans and sweet confectioners sugar are a match made in heaven.

Let’s talk about how these are one such an EASY Christmas Cookie to make. They are almost fool-proof. The ingredient list is short and sweet, the SnowBall Cookie recipe is not complicated at all. They bake quickly, requiring little time.

If you prefer an extra nutty flavor, feel free to toast your pecans before chopping. It will add a depth of flavor to your cookie. I like to double dip my Pecan Snowball Cookies in a second generous amount of powdered sugar. The extra dip just adds a bit more sweetness and helps them to look pretty.

Pecan Snowball Cookie Ingredients

There really isn’t that many ingredients you need for these Easy Pecan Snowball Cookies. You might even have all these cookie ingredients handy already- these are some classic baking ingredients and pantry staples. For these Christmas Cookies, here’s all you need:

• Butter – We need room temperature softened butter for this recipe for easier mixing. If you only have cold butter ready, try warming up a glass or bowl and using it to warm butter slowly.
• Powdered Sugar – Also sold as confectioners’ sugar and icing sugar. We’ll be using powdered sugar for cookie dough and for coating cookies after they’ve baked.
• Vanilla Extract
• Flour – All-purpose flour is the simplest pick here.
• Pecans – To save time, try and buy some finely chopped pecans. Elsewise, buy whatever pecans at the store you can get your hands on and make some finely crushed pecans from scratch.
• Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Snowball Cookies with Pecan

Once you’ve got everything together, making these Easy Snowball Cookies is about as simple as the ingredients list looks! You’ll whip all these buttery cookie dough ingredients together, shape into cookie dough balls, and then let them bake. For a visual guide for this simple cookie recipe, look below:

• Grab a medium or large mixing bowl and add softened butter to it. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat butter until it becomes fluffy.

• Next, add about half of your powdered sugar to the fluffy butter. Beat together until incorporated.

• Add vanilla extract and beat again to combine.

• Finally, add flour, salt, and chopped pecans to the vanilla, butter and sugar mixture. Beat to combine into a consistent cookie dough, making sure crushed pecans are distributed evenly.

• Pinch cookie dough off and form into 1-1/4 inch cookie dough balls. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart from one another.

• Transfer baking sheet with cookie dough to an awaiting 350 degree oven. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes or until bottoms become golden-brown. Let snowball cookies cool completely.

• Once cooled, roll Pecan Cookies in remaining powdered sugar to give them their “Snowball Cookie” appearance. Repeat with remaining cookies before serving.

Storage / Freezing

Storage: You’ll want to save any leftover snowball cookies for later- they’re pretty good! Transfer to an airtight container or Ziploc bag for best results with storage. At room temperature, expect them to keep 5-7 days- in the fridge, it’ll be more like 1-2 weeks.

Freezing: Freezing Snowball Cookies is your best bet for long-term storage. If you’re wondering how to freeze Snowball Cookies, just pop them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer. Let freeze until firm before moving to a freezer bag and keeping frozen for up to 3 months- let thaw and reroll in powdered sugar before serving.

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