Snowball Cookies
User Reviews
4.6
Snowball Cookies
Description
Snowball Cookies blend all-purpose flour, pecans, butter, and sugar to produce a light yet sturdy dough that holds its shape as small round cookies. The dough is mixed until just combined to avoid toughness. Baking at a lower temperature of 325 degrees F allows even cooking without overly browning the cookies’ pale surface. Processing some pecans into a coarse meal and blending the rest with flour contributes to a varied nutty texture throughout each bite.
Once baked and cooled, the cookies are immediately rolled in powdered sugar, which clings to the warm surfaces, generating the signature snowball effect. These cookies have a slightly crumbly interior and a buttery taste enriched by vanilla extract, balanced by the gentle saltiness of the pecans.
The cookies store well at room temperature and freeze effectively both before and after baking, making them convenient for gifting and make-ahead occasions. Substitutions are possible for nuts and butter, though these may slightly alter texture. Their restrained sweetness and delicate crunch suit festive seasons or everyday treats.
Freezing dough balls on a tray before bagging prevents sticking, and refreshing the cookies with powdered sugar after thawing enhances presentation. If dough feels warm during shaping, refrigerate it briefly to firm up for easier handling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups pecan divided, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened but still cool
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar for rolling cookies after baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Mix the flour, 1 cup of the chopped pecans, and the salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Place the remaining chopped nuts in a food processor and process until they are the texture of coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds; stir into the flour mixture and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough just begins to come together but still looks scrappy, about 15 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl again and continue beating at low speed until the dough is cohesive, about 10 more seconds.
- Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough between the palms of your hands and place on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies will only spread a little bit, so you can place them fairly close together. Bake until the tops are pale golden and the bottoms are just beginning to brown, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Place the powdered sugar in a large zip-top bag. Working with 3 or 4 cookies at a time, place them in the bag of sugar and gently toss to coat them thoroughly. Gently shake off any excess. Allow the cookies to sit for at least an hour, or up to overnight, and then repeat the process. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You may substitute other nuts like walnuts or almonds, or omit nuts by increasing vanilla extract by 1 teaspoon.
- If dough feels too warm or sticky when rolling, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before shaping.
- These cookies keep fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For freezing, pre-shape dough balls and freeze on a tray for 2 hours before transferring to a resealable bag; thaw overnight before baking.
- Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator or freezer and recoat with powdered sugar to refresh.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 48cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 104 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 104kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 10mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 37mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 25mg | 1% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 120IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 5mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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