These are hands-down the most perfect snowball cookies! Our snowball cookie recipe creates melt-in-your-mouth cookies. They are super buttery, flavorful, moist, and topped with a layer of powdered sugar.
Snowball cookies are buttery cookies, with pecans, and coated in powdered sugar. They are the most charming Christmas cookie and perfect for the holidays.
Here at Sugar and Charm, we love holiday cookies. Snowball cookies, especially the classic version with pecans, are right up there with our favorites. Here’s why!
- These cookies are super simple to make.
- They’re not dry! I’ve had plently of dry snowball cookies at bakeries and it’s such a dissapointment. These do not have a hard texture.
- These cookies are soft and melt in your mouth!
- They’re perfect for a holiday party, Christmas brunch, or a cookie swap.
- This snowball cookie recipe is made with pecans which make them extra flavorful. If you love pecans, check out our brown butter rum pecan pie recipe!
What Are Snowball Cookies?
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They’re beloved across the globe, with slight variations depending on the region and mood. But wherever you go, these white shortbread confections look fabulous and very on-theme at weddings and wintry Christmas celebrations. They also happen to be melt-in-the-mouth and super simple to make and send to loved ones.
What Are Snowball Cookies Made Of?
- Butter
- All-purpose Flour
- Pecans
- Powdered sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make Snowball Cookies (full recipe in recipe card below)
In an electric mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar.
Add in the vanilla and continue mixing.
Add the flour and salt and mix on low.
Next, add in the chopped pecans and mix on low just until combined.
Make 1 1/4″ cookie balls.
Place the cookie balls on a prepared baking sheet.
Roll the cookies in powdered sugar.
Pecans or Walnuts?
You can’t go wrong with pecans, but you also have leeway with this. Walnuts are a good option (if a bit bitter), as are cashews, hazelnuts, and macadamias. You could even use pine nuts if you’d like. If you go the almond route, some almond extract can give your snowball cookie an unconventional but decadent taste. Toast the nuts before doing one of the following:
- Chopping them into teeny tiny pieces
- Popping them in a food processor without completely pulverizing them
- Placing them in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin
Snowball Cookies Recipe No Nuts
This recipe can easily be altered to make snowball cookies with no nuts. Just leave out the pecans and continue with all of the other ingredients.
How to Store Snowball Pecan Cookies
Store in a cool, dry part of your kitchen, and these cookies should last up to a week in an airtight container.
How to Freeze Snowball Pecan Cookies
As their name suggests, snowball cookies do great frozen. You can freeze baked or unbaked cookies, and you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two.
Lay a zip-top bag down and place the cookies in the bag without letting them touch. Gently transfer to a container before freezing. The day before you’re ready to eat them, thaw and either bake or refresh with powdered sugar.
Why Are My Snowball Cookies Dry?
Dry snowball cookies are usually the result of overbaking. You can also get dry cookies if you’re not precise with measuring your ingredients.
Shipping Snowball Pecan Cookies
Start by ensuring that they’re completely cool. Freezing them before shipping can keep your cookies fresher for longer.
Pack the frozen cookies in a zip-top bag or with plastic wrap before placing them in a cookie tin or airtight container. You need to ensure they have no room to move around and break by filling space in the container with balled-up pieces of parchment paper.
Finally, place in an appropriately-sized shipping box, insulate with paper and opt for delivery within two days.
What to Serve with Snowball Cookies
Try these cookies with some of our favorite holiday drink recipes!
Frozen Bananas Foster
They would also look adorable as an extra treat on a hot cocoa bar.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
Try some of our beloved, tried, and true cookie recipes below. They’re all delicious, festive, and amazing for the holidays.
The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies
My Favorite Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Let us know if you make this snowball cookie recipe by leaving a comment and review below! Also, check out more of our delicious desserts.
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Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling the cookies
Instructions
- In an electric mixer, cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar .
- Add in the vanilla and continue mixing.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low.
- Add in the chopped pecans and mix on low just until combined.
- Make 1 1/4" cookie balls.
- Place the cookie balls on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes.
- Pour 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a bowl.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, give them a minute to cool, then roll each cookie into the powdered sugar to coat the entire cookie.
- You can also sift more sugar over the cookies.
