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Close-up of a batch of snowball cookies piled on top of each other on a beige plate.

Snowball Cookies

These Snowball Cookies are easy to make with a melt in your mouth shortbread base, chopped pecans and coated in powdered sugar. A classic Christmas cookie recipe made with just 5 ingredients in one bowl! Perfect for gift giving, holiday cookie exchanges and cookie platters!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword christmas cookies, christmas cookies for cookie swap, easy pecan cookies, easy shortbread cookies, holiday cookie recipe, pecan shortbread cookies, russian tea balls
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 32 cookies
Calories 111 kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature. You can also use ghee or vegan butter for dairy-free / vegan snowball cookies.
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar , sifted. You can also substitute with any powdered sugar substitute such as Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener OR powdered coconut sugar for a lower sugar / refined sugar option.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour OR gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour . measured correctly - spoon & sweep method
  • 3/4 - 1 cup finely chopped pecans , you also use finely chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup More powdered sugar / powdered sweetener for rolling cookies - about 1/2 cup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add flour and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans, then turn the mixer to low and beat at low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until well mixed.

  3. Roll the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized dough balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used up. *We recommend chilling the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge so the cookies stay round but you can choose to bake them right away if desired.
  4. Bake cookies for 14 - 15 minutes, until the bottoms are just slightly golden brown - rotating the pans halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
  5. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan for about 2 minutes, or until you can handle them comfortably with your hands.
  6. Meanwhile, sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll them into the powdered sugar, coating well on all sides. Place the cookies on a cooling rack to cool again. Once they have cooled completely, roll them into the powdered sugar again for a more pronounced "snowball" look.
  7. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

How to store:

  • Airtight Container: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, maintaining their freshness.
  • Refrigeration: Store your pecan snowball cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

How to freeze:

  • You can store these cookies for up three months:
    • Baked cookies: Place the baked snowball cookies on large baking sheets and freeze for 20 minutes, or until hard. Transfer the frozen cookies to an resealable containers or large ziptop bags for up to 3 months.
    • Raw cookie dough: Freeze the raw cookie dough balls in an air-tight storage container or large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
    • To thaw: Remove frozen baked cookies from the freezer and allow to that at room temperature. Once thawed, you can roll the balls in more powdered sugar, if desired before serving.
  • Make-Ahead Dough: Prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate or freeze it for impromptu baking sessions.
Nutrition Facts
Snowball Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 111 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.