Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies with Vanilla Sugar Coating
Pecan Snowballs
Melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies loaded with toasted pecans and dusted with powdered sugar. Perfect for holiday gift boxes.
Nutrition (per serving)
These Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are an absolute treasure—the kind of treat that disappears from the plate within minutes. With their tender, crumbly texture and generous amount of toasted pecans folded throughout, each bite melts on your tongue like a little cloud of pure butter and nutty bliss. The generous coating of powdered sugar makes them look like freshly fallen snow, which is exactly how they earned their charming name.
What I love most about this recipe is how incredibly simple it is, yet so elegant and impressive. You don't need fancy equipment or special ingredients—just butter, pecans, flour, and vanilla—but the results taste like you spent all day in a bakery. These cookies are absolutely perfect for holiday gift boxes, Christmas parties, or anytime you want to treat yourself to something truly special.
Ingredients
- Butter:1 cup
- Powdered sugar:½ cup
- Vanilla extract:1 tsp
- All-purpose flour:2 cups
- Pecans, finely chopped and toasted:1½ cups
- Salt:¼ tsp
- Powdered sugar for coating:1 cup
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped toasted pecans.
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Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are set but still pale on top. They should not brown significantly.
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Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes until they're cool enough to handle but still slightly warm.
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Pour the powdered sugar for coating into a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll each one in the powdered sugar, coating generously on all sides.
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Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then roll them in powdered sugar one more time for an extra-thick coating.
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Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Tips & Notes
- Toast your pecans yourself for the best flavor—spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 325°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant.
- Don't overbake these cookies—they should be just set, not golden brown. They'll firm up as they cool.
- Roll the cookies in powdered sugar twice for that authentic snowball appearance and extra sweetness.
- These cookies freeze beautifully for up to three months. Coat with powdered sugar before freezing for best results.
