Description
This is the classic Snowball Cookies recipe you’ve been searching for. It’s a simple, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie packed with finely chopped pecans and wrapped in a sweet, snowy coat. The “secret” isn’t a rare ingredient; it’s the simple, traditional technique of a double roll in powdered sugar that makes them so incredibly nostalgic and delicious. They are the quintessential Christmas cookie, and this foolproof recipe will make them a star on your holiday table.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60g) Powdered Sugar (for inside the dough)
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/4 cups (270g) All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup (85g) Finely Chopped Pecans
- 1 to 2 cups Extra Powdered Sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Cream Butter, Sugar, and Vanilla: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the 1 cup of softened unsalted butter and the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Cream on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light, pale, and fluffy. Beat in the 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
- Add Flour: Add the 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour. Mix on the lowest possible speed until the flour is just combined and a soft, crumbly dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Add Pecans: Gently stir in the 3/4 cup of finely chopped pecans with a rubber spatula until they are evenly distributed.
- Preheat and Form Cookies: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cookies should not look browned on top; the bottoms will be just barely golden.
- The First Sugar Roll (Warm): Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes (they will be very delicate). While the cookies are still warm, place about 1 cup of the extra powdered sugar in a small bowl. Roll each warm cookie in the sugar to create a “base coat.” Place the sugar-coated cookies on a wire cooling rack.
- The Second “Snowball” Roll (Cool): Let the cookies cool completely on the wire rack. Once they are 100% at room temperature, roll each cookie in the powdered sugar a second time. This second roll is what sticks and gives them that beautiful, thick, snowy-white finish.
Notes
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: Properly creaming the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy is crucial for the final texture.
- Don’t Overmix: When adding the flour, mix on the lowest speed only until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and will make your cookies tough instead of tender.
- Pale is Perfect: Do not overbake! The cookies should not look browned on top. The bottoms will be just barely golden. They will be very delicate when hot.
- The Double Roll Secret: The first roll (while warm) creates a melted base coat. The second roll (when completely cool) is what sticks and gives that beautiful, thick, “snowball” finish.
- Uniform Cookies: Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon size) to ensure all your cookies are the same size and bake evenly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies, Holiday
- Method: Baking, Rolling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 85 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg

