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Buttery soft snowball cookies are loaded with pecans. This easy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie is simply the BEST holiday cookie!
These are the perfect Christmas cookie, along with our Ginergbread Cookies, Snickerdoodles and Frosted Sugar Cookies!
Why We Love Them!
I just love love love these snowball cookies (aka Russian Tea Cakes)!
They are the ultimate Christmas cookie (right there with our Snickerdoodles and Frosted Sugar Cookies) and are often referred to as Mexican Wedding Cookies.
Here are more reasons why we love them:
- Simple. There are few ingredients and only 4 steps!
- Easy. Just 6 ingredients to make these yummy little things.
- Soft and tasty. Snowball cookies practically melt in your mouth.
- Perfectly gift-able. They are the perfect addition to any party, but especially beautiful on cookie plates for neighbors and friends for Christmas.
Simple Ingredients
- unsalted butter – Softened, not melted butter. Softened butter will provide the correct texture. If you’re short on time use this post on How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- all-purpose flour – Measure the flour by scooping it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- salt
- pecans – Or your favorite nuts – chopped walnuts, almonds, cashews, or pistachios may be used (can be chopped in a food process or nut chopper.
Quick + Simple Cookies
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- BATTER. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with an electric mixer), cream together butter, vanilla, and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Stir in flour, chopped pecans, and salt. Mix until well combined. Roll dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon wide, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- BAKE. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until a light golden brown.
- GARNISH. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar. Once they have cooled, roll them once more in sugar. Enjoy
Pro Tips!
- Chilling the dough for 30 minutes may make it easier to roll into balls. It will also help them keep their shape.
- Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to easily make uniform cookies.
Recipe Tips
Pecan snowball cookies are so simple, and these tips will ensure they come out perfectly.
- Make a chocolate version. Add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder with the dry ingredients, and continue with the rest of the instructions in the recipe.
- Variations. Mix colored sprinkles or mini chocolate chips into the dough. Replace the vanilla with almond extract, and the pecans with slivered almonds.
- Dry dough. If the dough seems too dry, add a little more softened butter, or a tablespoon of applesauce.
Storing Info
- STORE snow cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.
- FREEZE in an airtight container in the freezer for about 6 months. Remove from the container to thaw, otherwise, the condensation turns the powdered sugar into a gooey mess. Reroll them in powdered sugar if desired.
- Freeze the cookie dough. Shape the dough into balls and place them all on a baking sheet and freeze. Once solid, transfer to a freezer Ziploc. Thaw at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before baking.
For More Holiday Cookie Classics:
Snowball Cookies Recipe
Buttery soft snowball cookies are loaded with pecans. This easy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie is simply the BEST holiday cookie!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar for dusting, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175 degrees C).
- Cream together butter, vanilla, and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Stir in flour, pecans, and salt. Mix till well combined. Roll dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon wide, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes. Do not let them brown.
- Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar. Once they have cooled, roll them once more in sugar. Enjoy
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 90kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 73mg, Potassium: 15mg, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 190IU, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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FINALLY A CHRISTMAS COOKIE WITH A LOW CARBOHYDRATE COUNT WHICH WE NEED DUE TO DIABETES!
These Cookies are delicious! and i love how simple they are to make!
Thank you so much!! And, I agree..super easy & good!
Just wanted to let you know in your snowball COOKIES.There is no mention of how much flour GOES in The. Recipe. For INGREDIENTS.ty
Sorry, I need to add it. It’s 2 1/4 cups of flour. I hope you like these!
Hell0!!!
Love All Your emails!
Your snOwBall cookiEs recipe is
MIssing the Quantity for the
Flour ( in both veRsions including the pdf). Pls advise. THank You
Merry christmas ! Deb
Yes, sorry about that. I fixed it 🙂 The flour amount is 2 1/4 cups. Enjoy!
I would love you receipe for you no roll out sugar cookies it sounds so easy please may I plrase have you receipe?
Hope you like them 🙂 https://lilluna.com/no-roll-sugar-cookies/
I made these and added flour TIll i had a good dough consistency. The total amount i used was 2 1/2 cups.
Very close!! It’s 2 1/4 cups, but that works too! Sorry, I forgot about the flour. I fixed it 🙂 Thanks for trying them!
THESE BRING BACK SO MANY FUN MEMORIES, HAVEN’T SEEN THESE IS SO LONG THAT I’VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THEM, SO THANK YOU FOR THESE SNOWBALL COOKIES
You are so welcome! I am glad to share 🙂
Your recipe has omitted the flour Amount!
I know..I forgot to add it, but I fixed it 🙂 It is 2 1/4 cups.
hELLO KRISTYN AS ALWAYS YOUR RECEIPTS ARE WONDERFUL BUT WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH FLOUR TO DO THIS. CAN YOU HELP US PLEASE?
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING
RUTH
It is 2 1/4 cup. I fixed the recipe, sorry to have left it out 🙂
THANK YOU!! I WILL TRY THEM THIS WEEKEND!
HAVE A NICE WEEK
Thank you so much, you too!
How much flour?
2 1/4 cups 🙂 I added it.
Intrigued with the recipe for Snowball Cookies. Instructions say to add the flour but there is no flour in the ingredients list. how much flour is used?
Yes, sorry, forgot to add it. It is 2 1/4 cups 🙂