Holiday Snowball Cookies
Holiday Snowball Cookies — these buttery, melt-in-your-mouth classics made with just five ingredients are perfect for Christmas. They’re soft, slightly crumbly, and rolled in a fine layer of powdered sugar, just like real snowballs that melt in your mouth! If you’re looking for the easiest and most delicious recipe for winter cookies, you’re in the right place!
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar divided
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups 240 g all purpose flour
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl (if using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
- Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the flour, and mix until just combined. Do not overmix! Finally, fold in the pecans with a spatula to distribute evenly.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge, then scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and gently roll it between your palms to form smooth balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1½ inches apart.
- If the dough balls are too soft, return them to the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm up. This prevents spreading and keeps them perfectly round while baking.
- Bake the cookies for 15–20 minutes, or until the bottoms just start to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.
- While still warm, roll them in the remaining powdered sugar. Once completely cooled, roll them in powdered sugar again for the final snowball looks.
Notes
- Use softened butter. Be careful not to make it too soft, or the cookies will spread too much while baking.
- Use finely ground pecans. This helps the dough come together more easily, makes the balls easier to shape, and ensures the cookies bake evenly. Large pecan pieces can cause the cookies to crumble, while finely chopped pecans give a smooth, uniform texture.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
- Chill the dough for 30–45 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading out while baking.
- Roll the cookies in powdered sugar twice: once while they’re still warm, and again after they’ve cooled. This gives them the classic snowball looks.
- Be careful not to overbake! They’re done when the bottoms just start to turn golden.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 155kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11g
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