Pecan snowball cookies, also known as Snowball cookies, Russian tea cake, Mexican wedding cookies, or Polvorones, are shortbread cookies made with flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and chopped pecans.
These snowball pecan cookies are a perfect holiday dessert, coated in powdered sugar, full of pecan flavor, and boasting just the right sweetness. This buttery Pecan snowball cookies recipe (besides being delicious) is very easy and quick to make.
They're also versatile; you can customize them using other nuts, such as walnuts, almond pistachios, and cashews.
Enjoy these nutty crumbly cookies alone, on the go, or with coffee or tea. For more Pecan-Inspired Cookies, check out these recipes: Fig Cookies with Pecans, Oatmeal Cookies with Coconuts and Pecans, Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oats, Perfect chocolate chip cookies, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
How to Make Pecan Snowball Cookies
Note: The full instruction is provided in the recipe card below.
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until slightly darkened, about 10 minutes; let cool completely.
Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground - do not over-pulse, as you don't want a paste.
In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup confectioner's sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and ground pecans; cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until well combined.
Transfer the cookie dough to a medium bowl, cover it tightly, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If it has been chilling for 3+ hours, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls.
After being in the fridge that long, the cookie dough will be very stiff. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Scoop the mixture into rounded tablespoon-sized rounds, roll them between your hands into balls, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets at least 1 to 2 inches apart.
Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until lightly golden on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. (While waiting for the other Pecan snowball cookies to bake, place the prepared baking sheets with the cookies in the freezer).
Let the Snowball cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then gently roll them in the confectioners' sugar to coat thoroughly. Be careful when handling cookies, as they are very fragile.
Next, place the Snowballs Cookies on wire racks to cool completely; it's best on a wire rack so the powdered sugar doesn't become moist. When fully cool, roll again with the confectioner's sugar.
More Cookies Recipes:
- Guava Thumbprint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Dulce de leche
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
📖 Recipe
Easy Pecan Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 65 g (½ cups) confectioners' sugar
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 300 g (2 and ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour (spoon & level off using the back of a knife)
- 300 g (2 cups), toasted pecans, finely chopped
For the coating:
Instructions
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until slightly darkened, about 10 minutes; let cool completely. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground - do not over-pulse, as you don't want a paste.
- In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup confectioner's sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and ground pecans; cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until well combined.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a medium bowl, cover it tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If chilling for 3+ hours, make sure you let the cookie dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls; the cookie dough will be very stiff after being in the fridge that long.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Scoop into rounded tablespoon-sized rounds and roll between your hands into balls, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets at least 1 to 2 inches apart.
- Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until lightly golden on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. (While waiting for the other Pecan snowball cookies to bake, place the prepared baking sheets with the cookies in the freezer).
- Let the Pecan Snowballs cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then gently roll them in the confectioners' sugar to coat thoroughly. Be careful when handling pecan snowball cookies, as they are very fragile. Next, place the Pecan Snowballs Cookies on wire racks to cool completely; it's best on a wire rack so the powdered sugar doesn't become moist. When fully cool, roll again with the confectioner's sugar.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
