Description
Delightful pecan snowball cookies melt in your mouth with buttery, nutty goodness. Classic holiday treats dusted with powdered sugar invite warm memories of festive family gatherings you’ll cherish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Seasoning:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350F (175C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat, ensuring an even cooking surface.
- Create a creamy base by whipping softened butter and powdered sugar until the mixture becomes airy and pale, incorporating vanilla extract for subtle aromatic depth.
- Gradually introduce flour and salt into the butter mixture, gently folding until a cohesive dough forms, then delicately incorporate chopped pecans for nutty texture and crunch.
- Craft uniform cookie spheres by rolling dough into smooth, approximately 1-inch balls, positioning them with gentle spacing on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the delicate morsels in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, watching for a light golden hue developing underneath, which signals perfect doneness.
- Allow cookies to rest momentarily on the baking sheet, providing a brief cooling period that helps stabilize their delicate structure.
- While cookies retain a gentle warmth, tenderly enrobe each one in a generous layer of powdered sugar, creating a soft, snow-like exterior.
- Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a wire rack, permitting complete cooling and providing an opportunity for a second, more lavish dusting of powdered sugar for an elegant, wintry finish.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easier mixing and a smoother dough texture that blends more evenly.
- Toast pecans beforehand to enhance their nutty flavor and create a deeper, richer taste profile in the cookies.
- For gluten-free variation, swap regular flour with almond flour or a certified gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent spreading and maintain a more compact cookie structure during baking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg