These Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are easy, quick to fix, delicious, and they freeze well. You may even have the ingredients in your house right now. Also known as Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies but in our house we just call them Snowballs They are the delectable cookie with a thousand names.
How to make Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies.
These delectable cookies are so very easy to make. First cream the butter and the powdered sugar until light and fluffy! Then turn the mixer to low and add the salt, vanilla, flour and pecans. Roll into one inch balls and place on parchment covered baking sheets and bake.
Allow to cool just enough to handle them. Roll in the powdered sugar. Place them on cookie cooling racks. When they are fully cooled roll in the powdered sugar again.
How to freeze and thaw Snowball Cookies aka Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies.
They can be baked and frozen ahead of time. Pack the cookies in doubled Ziploc freezer bags and place them in sturdy glad-ware freezer container. When defrosting take them out of the containers frozen and place on serving trays or platters uncovered. Never allow them to defrost in the plastic and the containers. The condensation that builds in there will ruin the cookies. Once the cookies have defrosted place in airtight containers and store at room temperature for up to a week.
The dough can easily be frozen as well in a practice commonly known as flash freezing. Simply roll the dough and place on parchment covered baking sheets. Make sure they aren’t touching so they don’t freeze to each other. Place in the freezer until frozen then transfer to a freezer bag and store that bag in a sturdy freezer container. When you are ready to bake simply place the cookies on a parchment covered baking sheet and let them thaw just a tad while the oven preheats. Frozen cookies may require an additional one to two minutes baking time.
Helpful hints on making these Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Use real honest to goodness butter so they taste yummy.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Chop the nuts fairly fine.
- This a thick dough so roll the cookies with your hands because the warmth or your hands will help shape the cookies.
- Preheat the oven and load the baking sheet in the middle of the oven.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- If you have time do a test run with one or two cookies. It really helps to establish baking time.
- Do not over-bake. These are a type of shortbread cookies. They are a crumbly melt in your mouth cookie.
- When measuring your flour spoon the flour into the measuring cups and level off with a table knife.
These Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are easy, quick to fix, delicious, and they freeze well. You may even have the ingredients in your house right now. Also known as Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies but in our house we just call them Snowballs They are the delectable cookie with a thousand names.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (2 1/2oz/71g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (10oz/284g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (8oz/225g) toasted pecans* (finely ground)
- 1½ cups (6oz/172g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Using a large whisk or electric mixer cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Using a spatula, gradually add flour in 2 batches. Lastly, stir in the nuts and mix until fully incorporated.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for approximately 45 minutes. (You can store the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 6 weeks)
- Preheat to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- Place powdered sugar in a small bowl, set aside.
- After chilling, use a 1 tablespoon measure to scoop your cookies. Roll between the palms of your hands to achieve a rounded ball. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and DO NOT flatten, leave as little balls.
- Bake in preheated oven for 14-15 minutes. Do not overbake. The underside of the cookies should be only lightly browned but the top will still be pale in color which is correct.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for approximately 5 minutes. While the cookies are still warm, gently roll them in the powdered sugar.
- Place the sugar-coated cookies on wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled roll cookies in the powdered sugar for a second time.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.