Butter Pecan Snowball Cookies

Butter Pecan Snowball Cookies are soft, buttery cookies loaded with toasted pecans and rolled in powdered sugar, giving them a “snowball” look. Perfect for holidays, tea time, or gifting.

🧾 Ingredients (Makes ~24 cookies)

Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Optional

½ tsp cinnamon (for subtle warmth)

🔪 Preparation

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

🥣 Make the Dough

In a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Salt
- Cinnamon (if using)
Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
Fold in toasted pecans.

🍪 Shape the Cookies

Scoop 1–1½ tablespoons of dough and roll into balls.
Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

🔥 Bake

Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet.

❄️ Coat in Powdered Sugar

While warm, roll cookies in powdered sugar.
Let cookies cool completely, then roll in sugar a second time for a thick snowball coating.

🍽️ Serve & Store

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Optional: serve with tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.

✅ Prep Time: 15 minutes
✅ Baking Time: 12–15 minutes
✅ Total Time: ~30 minutes
✅ Yield: 24 cookies

⭐ Optional Variations

🍫 Chocolate-dipped: dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate.
🥥 Coconut pecan snowballs: add ¼ cup shredded coconut to the dough.
🌰 Nut swap: use walnuts or almonds instead of pecans.
🍫 Chocolate chips: fold in ¼ cup mini chocolate chips for extra indulgence.

If you want, I can also give you a holiday-themed version with festive sprinkles and a double sugar coating for extra sparkle. ❄️🌟