Buy Now → Pecan Snowball Cookies
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.
- 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 1/4 cups pecans, measured before grinding
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for coating
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.
Find it online: https://jennifercooks.com/pecan-snowball-cookies/