Description
These Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pecan Snowball Cookies are delicate, buttery treats coated in powdered sugar, delivering a perfect balance of nutty flavor and sweet softness. Ideal for holiday gift-giving or as a delightful dessert, these classic American cookies are quick to prepare and bake to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking.
- Mix butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar together until the mixture becomes creamy and smooth, ensuring a light cookie texture.
- Add vanilla extract: Stir in the vanilla extract to infuse a warm, aromatic flavor into the dough.
- Combine dry ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the butter mixture, mixing gently until a uniform dough forms without overworking it.
- Incorporate pecans: Fold in the finely chopped pecans, distributing them evenly throughout the dough for a crunchy nutty bite in each cookie.
- Shape cookies: Scoop small amounts of dough and roll into 1-inch balls with your hands. Place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow even baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the bottoms just start to turn a light golden brown, indicating they are perfectly baked.
- Initial cooling and rolling: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then gently roll them in powdered sugar while they are still warm for the first layer of sweetness.
- Final rolling: Once completely cooled, roll the cookies again in powdered sugar to achieve a beautiful, snowy finish typical of traditional snowball cookies.
Notes
- Toast the pecans before chopping to enhance their flavor and add a deeper nutty aroma to the cookies.
- These cookies make perfect holiday gifts or festive treats for any occasion.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For longer storage, freeze the cookies and thaw at room temperature before serving.
