Snowball Cookie Recipe

Snowball Cookies on white and red plate.

4.97 from 54 votes

Snowball Cookie Recipe

Snowball Cookies are buttery pecan Christmas cookies with a tender shortbread texture and a double coating of powdered sugar for a snowy finish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time14

Total Time24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, chopped
⅓ cup powdered sugar, for dusting, as needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add the flour and salt and mix on low until combined. The dough may look crumbly at first, but it should hold together when pressed.
Mix in the finely chopped pecans just until evenly distributed.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This makes the dough easier to roll and helps the cookies keep their round shape.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie and gently roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are just lightly golden and the tops are still pale. Do not overbake.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then gently roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Roll the cookies in powdered sugar again for a thick, snowy finish.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes to make rolling easier and help the cookies keep their round shape.
Roll cookies twice in powdered sugar for that classic snowy finish—once while warm and again after cooling.
Use softened butter, not melted butter, so the dough mixes together properly.
Chop the pecans small so they spread evenly through the cookies.
Roll the dough into even 1 tablespoon balls so they bake at the same rate.
Do not let the cookies brown, they should stay light for the best texture.
Make-ahead tip: bake the cookies ahead and store them covered, then add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar before serving if needed.

Store cookie dough. Cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.

Store cookies. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or freezer for 3-4 months. Remove from the container to thaw so that the condensation won't cause cookies to get sticky.

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