Pecan snowball cookies piled on a white plate with the top cookie’s cut center facing left.

Pecan snowball cookies are tender, buttery cookies made with finely ground pecans and finished with two coats of powdered sugar. Vanilla bean paste gives this batch a warm vanilla flavor, and the chilled dough rolls into little rounds that belong on a holiday cookie tray-or beside an afternoon cup of coffee.

The details that matter are simple: measure the pecans before grinding, stop the food processor before the nuts turn oily, and watch the bottoms of the cookies rather than waiting for the tops to brown. The tops should stay pale.

Close-up of a pecan snowball cookie showing its tender pecan crumb facing left.

Measured pecans, butter, two sugars, kosher salt, vanilla bean paste, and flour for pecan snowball cookies.

Ingredients You'll Need

You'll need pecans, softened salted butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, kosher salt, vanilla bean paste, and all-purpose flour. The full measurements are in the recipe card below.

Pecans: Measure them before grinding, then pulse until fine without turning them into a paste.
Salted butter: Use softened butter for the creaming step.
Powdered sugar: Part goes into the dough; the rest makes the two sugar coatings.
Granulated sugar: Beat it with the butter and powdered sugar.
Kosher salt and vanilla bean paste: Mix these in before the flour.
All-purpose flour: Add it in portions on low speed and stop when no dry flour remains.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Walnuts can replace the pecans in an equal amount, measured before grinding. Vanilla extract can replace the vanilla bean paste in the same amount.

Tools That Make It Easier

I use these tools when I make pecan snowball cookies: a food processor, an electric mixer and mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, a cover for chilling the dough, baking sheets, parchment paper, a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop, a shallow sugar bowl, a wire cooling rack, a refrigerator for chilling, and an oven capable of 350°F. For storage and freezing, have an airtight container, a freezer, and a freezer bag ready.

How To Make Pecan Snowball Cookies

Make the dough, chill it until firm enough to shape, bake until the bottoms are lightly golden, and coat the cookies once warm and once completely cool.

Step 1: Grind the pecans. Pulse the measured pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Stop before they become oily or form a paste.

Finely ground pecans in a food processor before mixing the cookie dough.

Step 2: Cream and mix. Beat the softened butter with both dough sugars on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt, then add the flour in portions on low speed just until no dry flour remains.

Butter, sugars, vanilla, salt, and flour mixed in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 3: Add the pecans and chill. Mix in the ground pecans until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, until firm enough to shape.

Pecan-flecked cookie dough covered in a mixing bowl for chilling.

Step 4: Shape. Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Portion with a 1½-tablespoon scoop, roll into balls, and leave about 1 inch between cookies.

Uncoated cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet beside a cookie scoop.

Step 5: Bake and rest. Bake for 15-18 minutes per batch, until set with lightly golden bottoms and pale tops. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before handling.

Baked pecan cookies with pale tops and a lightly golden bottom before coating.

Step 6: Coat twice. Gently roll the warm cookies in the coating sugar and set them on a wire rack to cool completely. Roll them in powdered sugar again for an even coating.

Pecan cookies on a cooling rack beside powdered sugar for their two coatings.

Tips for Tender Snowball Cookies

Keep the dough firm enough to shape and avoid overbaking so the cooled cookies stay tender and crumbly.

Sticky dough: If it softens or sticks while shaping, refrigerate it for another 10-15 minutes.
Pale tops are correct: Use lightly golden bottoms and set cookies as your doneness cues.
Handle gently: Give the cookies their 5-minute baking-sheet rest before the first sugar coating.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Put parchment paper between the layers to protect the sugar coating.

Can You Make Pecan Snowball Cookies Ahead?

You can freeze baked cookies or shaped dough balls for up to 3 months.

Baked cookies: Freeze in an airtight container, thaw at room temperature, and refresh the powdered sugar coating before serving.

Dough balls: Freeze shaped dough on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, allowing a few additional minutes and checking for lightly golden bottoms; coat with powdered sugar as directed.

Finished pecan snowball cookies with a double powdered sugar coating on a white plate.

What To Serve With Pecan Snowball Cookies

Serve these cookies with coffee, hot tea, or hot chocolate. For a cookie tray, add Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and Classic Spritz Butter Cookies. Peanut Butter Blossoms make another familiar cookie-tray companion.

Overhead view of powdered sugar pecan snowball cookies on a white plate.

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More Recipes You Might Like

For another pecan dessert, try Classic Pecan Pie. For a different bite-size treat with a snowy finish, take a look at Powdered Sugar Cranberries.

Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Classic Spritz Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Recipe

Pecan Snowball Cookies

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These pecan snowball cookies are buttery and tender, with finely ground pecans, vanilla bean paste, and two coats of powdered sugar. A lovely cookie-tray treat.

Author: Jennifer
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time: 30-60 minutes
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes per batch
Total Time: Varies with batches and cooling time
Yield: About 40 cookies 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 ¼ cups pecans, measured before grinding
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, for coating

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Instructions

Pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely ground, stopping before they become oily or turn into a paste.
Beat the softened butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour in several portions, mixing just until no dry flour remains.
Mix in the ground pecans until evenly distributed. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, until firm enough to shape.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Portion the dough with a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop. Roll each portion between your palms into a ball and arrange on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
Bake for 15-18 minutes per batch, until the cookies are set and their bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should remain pale.
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they can firm up before handling.
Place the remaining 1½ cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
Gently roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar, coating all sides. Set them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar again for an even coating.

Notes

Substitutions: Replace the pecans with an equal amount of walnuts, measured before grinding. Vanilla extract may replace the vanilla bean paste in the same amount.
Dough handling: If the dough softens or sticks while shaping, refrigerate it for another 10-15 minutes. Avoid overbaking; these cookies should be tender and crumbly after cooling.
Serving: Serve with coffee, hot tea, or hot chocolate. Add to a cookie tray with gingerbread cookies, chocolate cookies, or shortbread.
Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Place parchment paper between layers.
Freezing baked cookies: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and refresh the powdered sugar coating before serving.
Freezing dough: Freeze shaped dough balls on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, allowing a few additional minutes and checking for lightly golden bottoms. Coat with powdered sugar as directed.