Snowball Cookies are the most magical Christmas cookies as it combines butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, and pecans that is then baked and rolled in powdered sugar to create a soft buttery, melt in your mouth cookie to enjoy this holiday season or anytime throughout the year.
Pecan snowball cookies are a holiday favorite for a reason! These are the perfect Christmas desserts and are great for winter because they really do look like little snowballs!
Snowball Cookies Recipe
We all have those cookies that we bake every single year to give to friends, family, and neighbors. For our family, snowball cookies are always on the top of the list to make and share! These small buttery cookies are so easy to make. Sure it gets a little messy especially if you let your kids help roll them in the powdered sugar, but they are definitely worth the mess.
Whether you call this snowball cookie recipe, Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cookies, or butter balls they are the same cookie that we all love. Pair this cookie with your whipped Dalgona Coffee and you will be in heaven!
What are Snowball Cookies?
Snowball cookies are a small buttery cookie that usually has pieces of pecans that are baked and then rolled in powdered sugar. They are typically served around the holidays, but in our house, we eat them all year long.
Fun fact: These cookies get their name because once they have been rolled in the powdered sugar they look like little snowballs.
Snowball Cookie Ingredients:
- Butter- Butter is the key to this recipe to make them melt in your mouth!
- Sugar– Who doesn’t love sugar?! You will want to use just regular granulated sugar.
- Vanilla extract– Use a high-quality vanilla extract. You will be glad you did with these snowball cookies.
- All-purpose flour– this is your baking staple with any type of cookie.
- Finely chopped pecans– Pecans make this recipe. You can buy them prechopped, but you will want to chop them, even more, to make them very fine.
- Powdered sugar– This gives the cookies the “snowball look” and turns them into a sweet delicious cookie from the outside in.
HOW TO MAKE SNOWBALL COOKIES
STEP 1: PREP
First, heat the oven to 325°F.
STEP 2: CREAM INGREDIENTS
Next, cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl until creamy. Add vanilla; beat until well mixed.
STEP 3: ADD INGREDIENTS AND MIX
Add flour and pecans; beat at low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed.
STEP 4: SHAPE COOKIES
Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
Place, 1 inch apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
STEP 5: BAKE
Bake 16-18 minutes or until very lightly browned.
STEP 6: ENJOY
Cool 5 minutes; roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.
Tips for making the Best Snowball Cookies
- Nuts. This recipe calls for pecans, but you can easily substitute these for chopped walnuts if you prefer.
- Don’t Underbake. With these cookies, you want to make sure that you bake them all the way through and not undercook them. Don’t worry they will still be melt in your mouth perfection!
- Double Roll the cookies. Be sure to double roll the cookies. The first coat will melt into the cookie so you will want to generously put on a second coat of powdered sugar once they cool.
- Extract. If you want to create an almond flavor with this cookie you can swap out the vanilla extra for almond extract.
Snowball Cookies with Pecans FAQS
How to Store your snowball cookies
At room temperature, these cookies will last about 4 days in a Ziploc bag. If you want them to last a bit longer, place them in the fridge for up to two weeks in a Ziploc bag.
Can you freeze Italian snowball cookies?
These cookies also freeze great! You will want to place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. These do become more fragile when frozen so I don’t recommend a Ziploc bag. Place them in a container to help protect them a bit more.
Why are my snowball cookies dry?
Snowball cookies tend to have a crumbly texture but they shouldn’t be dry. They should stick together without issue while you’re making them. If they don’t, you might need to add in a bit more butter to help them not be as dry.
Here are more delicious treats to try!
Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups finely chopped pecans
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325°F.
- Cream butter and sugar in medium bowl until creamy. Add vanilla; beat until well mixed.
- Add flour and pecans; beat at low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1 inch apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake 16-18 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.
I’ve made these cookies for many years but with confectioners sugar to make the dough and 1 cup finely chopped pecans.
2 cups of pecans sounds like too much to incorporate into the dough and would make the baked cookies crumbly?