by 
A delicious cookie filled with toasted pecans. These pecan snowball cookies are perfect for adding to your Christmas cookie tray!
Made with just six ingredients and no eggs added!
Why make snowball cookies
Snowball cookies are a classic Christmas cookie. But just because they are a classic doesn't mean you can only make them at Christmas. These pecan snowball cookies are delicious year-round!
These easy-to-make cookies are filled with toasted pecans adding extra flavor to the traditional snowball cookie. Toasting the nuts brings out the flavor of the pecans.
I call these cookies snowball cookies, but they go by several names; Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes and butter balls.
Another fun way to make snowball cookies are these Snowmen Snowball Cookies!
Key ingredients
- Pecans - halved or chopped
- Butter - I use salted butter
- Flour - all purpose flour
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla - use a good quality vanilla
Step by step directions
- Toast pecans in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes
- Remove pecans from baking sheet and place in a food processor. Allow nuts to cool before processing into a fine dice
- Place softened butter in a mixing bowl. Mix until soft and creamy
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well
- Mix in flour and salt
- Add chopped pecans
- Use a cookie scoop to form balls of dough and place on a lined cookie sheet
- Bake in a preheated 350° for 13-15 minutes
- Remove cookies from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet
- While cookies are still warm, but not hot, roll in sifted powdered sugar
- Place cookies on a baking rack to continue cooling
- Store in a single layer in an airtight container
Recipe tips
- Don't skip toasting the pecans. Toasting adds a richer, deeper flavor!
- The cookie dough may seem a bit crumbly. This is okay.
- When forming cookies together, if they crumble a bit, use your hands to compress it back together.
- Use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized cookies. I used a small cookie scoop that uses 1 tablespoon of dough. Scoop size is #60.
- Sift your powdered sugar to remove any lumps
- If the powdered sugar seems to melt away, let your cookies cool a bit more
- A second coating of powdered sugar can be added if desired
- Store cookies in an airtight container with each layer separated by waxed paper or parchment paper
- Cookies are best stored in a firm container, rather than a plastic bag
Recipe Faqs
Snowball cookies are best eaten within 5 days of baking.
Yes, snowball cookies freeze well. After the cookies have fully cooled, add into an airtight container with a layer of waxed paper or parchment paper between each layer of cookies.
Freeze for up to one month. To use, remove from freezer and allow cookies to thaw at room temperature.
More delicious cookies
These cookies make a festive presentation on a Christmas cookie tray!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my delicious cookie recipes!
Pecan Snowball Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup butter (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted, for rolling cookies)
Instructions
Toast Pecans
- Toast pecans in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking time.1 cup pecans
- Remove pecans from baking sheet and place in a food processor. Allow nuts to cool before processing into a fine dice
Cookie Dough
- Place softened butter in a mixing bowl. Mix until soft and creamy1 cup butter
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well¾ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Mix in flour and salt¼ teaspoon salt, 2 cups flour
- Add chopped pecans and stir until combined
- Use a small cookie scoop, #40 or #60, to form balls of dough and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
- Bake in a preheated 350° for 13-15 minutes until cookies are just slightly browned on top
- Remove cookies from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet
- While cookies are still warm, but not hot, roll in sifted powdered sugar2 cups powdered sugar
- Place cookies on a baking rack to continue cooling
- Store in an airtight container with a layer of parchment paper between each layer of cookies
Notes
- Don't skip toasting the pecans. Toasting adds a richer, deeper flavor!
- The cookie dough may seem a bit crumbly. This is okay.
- When forming cookies together, if they crumble a bit, use your hands to compress it back together.
- Use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized cookies. I used a small cookie scoop that's uses 1 tablespoon of dough. Scoop size is #60.
- Sift your powdered sugar to remove any lumps
- If the powdered sugar seems to melt away, let your cookies cool a bit more
- A second coating of powdered sugar can be added, if desired
- Store cookies in an airtight container with each layer separated by waxed paper or parchment paper
- Cookies are best stored in a firm container, rather than a plastic bag
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Deborah says
I've always loved these cookies but have never made them. I tried this recipe today and they are delicious. There are so many chocolate cookie and candy options for holiday baking but few for those of us who don't like chocolate. These are such a treat! Thanks for passing along the recipe and hints for success. This will go into my Christmas favorites card file!
Kathy says
Hi Deborah,
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed the cookies and thanks for taking the time to leave comment! I appreciate it!
Merry Christmas,
Kathy
Cindy Jones says
Them are the worst cookie I've ever made not to mention the waste and cost of nuts!
Kathy says
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy them. If you've never had a snowball cookie before, they are a different type of cookie and aren't for everyone.
Cindi says
Kathy ❤️your recipe it's a match to
mine. This cookie has taken on
several different names over many years, Snowballs, Mexican Wedding
Cakes(cinnamon added). Walnuts or
Pecans. All are basically the same
Loads of butter and sugar what not
To love‼️. LoL☺️
Kathy says
Hi Cindi,
Thanks! 🙂 It's amazing how many different versions there are of this cookie. And you're right, enough butter and sugar and you've got a winner!
Kathy
Deb says
Fantastic!!!
Kathy says
Thanks so much!
Jen says
These are excellent. I’ve made other snowball recipes, these are the best!
Kathy says
Thank you!!! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Cheryl A. says
Can almonds be used instead of pecans for grinding up into the fine flour?
Kathy says
Hi Cheryl,
You can use almonds in place of the pecans. However, I wouldn't grind it as fine as a flour. You just want a coarse grind like you would with the pecans. Be certain to check out the pictures in the post that shows the nuts.
Kathy 🙂
Melanie Shaw says
This has been a family recipe of ours as long as I've been alive (55 yrs). The original recipe card calls them Butter Nut Balls. The only difference is that we roll them into only 1/2 inch balls and can get 99 on a tray at once. Roll in a paper bag of powdered sugar twice and these become little nuggets of absolute perfection! And I have frozen them for up to a year and they are perfectly fine. In fact it is the only Christmas cookie I made this year😄.
Kathy says
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for your email! I love hearing about old family recipes. The small size is a great idea and thanks for sharing your tip about using a paper bag to roll the cookies! I'm trying that the next time I make these!
Kathy 🙂
Shelly says
Do all 'snowball/Mexican wedding/Italian wedding's cookies have to be made with nuts, as a main ingredient?
The two, Mexican Wedding cookies I've had in the past were both made with either almond flour, or, ground up almonds. But there's gotta be an ALTERNATIVE WAY, TO MAKE THESE, WITHOUT NUTS...FOR THOSE WITH MAJOR FOOD/NUT ALLERGIES, TO ENJOY. I know my that, my nephew, Mason, who, is only, 6 yrs old, has had a limited diet, and less food options, due to having several major, life-threatening, food allergies, he's had since day one. Even though, sadly, we now live miles away from each other, I continue to read labels, and choose allergy-friendly options, as much as possible. So are there any recipes, out there for Allergy Friendly Snowball Cookies?
Kathy says
Hi Shelly,
I'm sure there are recipes out there without nuts. I have not made them without nuts before, but you could try making my recipe without nuts as an experiment. Or do a search on Google for "snowball cookies without nuts" I just typed that in and came up with several results. I'm sure there are plenty of delicious choices.
Kathy 🙂
Linda says
You can add crushed peppermint candy or other flavors like lemon to the cookies instead of nuts
Kathy says
Thanks for the tip!
Roseanne Deskevich says
Can I make this dough in advance and refrigerate??
Kathy says
Hi Roseanne,
Yes, you can make this dough ahead of time and refrigerate it. When ready to bake, remove the dough and let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping the cookies and baking.
Happy Baking,
Kathy 🙂
Barbar Kramer says
What can I do if I don't have a food processor?
Kathy says
Hello,
Only the nuts are chopped using the food processor. You can make these by chopping the nuts by hand. You want to achieve a fine chop. You might have the best luck to finely chop the nuts.
Enjoy!
Kathy 🙂
Nancy Sullenberger says
I made these and the I would need to double the recipe next time, they went super fast. Lasted only 1 night!
Kathy says
Such a wonderful problem to have! 🙂
Doughboy McChubby says
Well; I stand corrected. Evidently I have been locked away too long as a result of the Covid 19 quarantine. Lo and behold, some folks do call them Mexican Wedding Cookies...
That said, we Italians have been scarfing these down since the days of my great-great Nonna...
Kathy says
I find these cookies have so many different names and ones I had no idea about at all! It's been fun learning how versatile the name is! Now if we could only figure out who made the first cookie! 😉
Doughboy McChubby says
These are called ITALIAN Wedding cookies. In my fifty-plus years on this planet, not once have I heard these called Mexican Wedding Cookies, nor has any of my Mexican friends offered me one.
Just sayin'.
Kirsten says
Being married to a Hispanic, I can definitely confirm these are Mexican Wedding cookies.
https://www.ice.edu/blog/mexican-wedding-cookies
Kathy says
Thank you! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
These are my favorite holiday cookies - hands down! I haven't made a batch this year, but this post is making me crave them. The only problem is you can't sneak a cookie - the trail of powdered sugar always gives you away. Haha!
Kathy says
Oh, that is so true!!! I ate one the other day and carefully wiped my mouth to remove all traces. Then I looked down and saw the tell tale signs sprinkled across my black vest! 🙂