Snowball Cookies
Make classic snowball cookies with butter, powdered sugar, and pecans. These melt-in-your-mouth holiday treats get rolled twice in powdered sugar for a snowy finish.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- oven
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- spatula
- knife
- cutting board
- wire rack
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus 1 cup for rolling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecans finely chopped
- 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; set them aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Beat in the vanilla extract until it is just combined into the butter mixture.
- Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until a soft, crumbly dough forms and the flour is just incorporated; be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Stir in the finely chopped pecans until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough should come together easily when you press it between your fingers.
- Roll the dough into uniform 1-inch balls. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for proper airflow during baking.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden and the bottoms are just beginning to brown. The tops of the cookies should still appear pale.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack. While the cookies are still warm, gently roll them in the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar to coat completely. Let them cool completely on the wire rack, then roll them in powdered sugar a second time for a thicker, snow-like coating.
Notes
Let cookies cool slightly before first sugar coating. A second roll in sugar after cooling creates the perfect snowy finish.