Easy Pecan Snowball Cookies Recipe with Buttery Pecans for Holiday Cookie Trays

These pecan snowball cookies are a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth dough packed with finely chopped pecans and rolled in powdered sugar twice for that classic snowy coating. Ready in about 30 minutes, makes 36 cookies, and no chilling required if your butter starts out cool.

Every holiday cookie tray needs at least one cookie that disappears before anything else does, and in my house that’s always these pecan snowball cookies. They go by a few names — Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, butterballs — but however you know them, they’re the same simple idea: a rich, short dough loaded with pecans, rolled into little balls, and double-coated in powdered sugar once they’re baked.

What makes these worth keeping on repeat is how little goes into them. Six ingredients, one bowl, and a short bake time, but the texture is what people remember — sandy and tender, almost like shortbread, with a nutty crunch running through every bite.

The trick that keeps them from spreading into flat little puddles instead of staying round is simple: start with butter that’s cool, not warm, and don’t be afraid to chill the dough if your kitchen runs hot.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Just 6 ingredients and one bowl, no fancy equipment needed
• Melt-in-your-mouth, sandy-shortbread texture that holds together in a neat little ball
• Double-coated in powdered sugar for that classic snowball look
• No chilling required if your butter is cool to start — ready in about 30 minutes
• Keeps well for up to a week, so it’s an easy make-ahead cookie for the holidays
• A cookie tray classic that works for Christmas, weddings, or any time you want something simple and buttery

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cool but not fridge-cold
• 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups pecans, very finely chopped (chop first, then measure)

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Butter temperature matters more in this recipe than almost any other ingredient. If it’s too soft or starts to melt while you’re creaming it, the dough spreads into flatter, biscuit-like shapes instead of holding a round ball once baked. Cool, slightly firm butter — not fridge-cold, not room-temperature-soft — gives the best shape. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, or pistachios can stand in for the pecans if that’s what you have, though the flavor shifts noticeably away from the classic pecan version. If you only have salted butter on hand, it works fine here — just leave out the added salt.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prep the Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

Cream the butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and salt, then add the flour gradually, mixing after each addition. The dough will be thick and a little stiff — that’s normal. Stir in the finely chopped pecans last. Chop the pecans finely before measuring, since coarser pieces change both the texture and how well the dough holds together.

Step 3: Shape and Bake

Scoop about a tablespoon of dough, roll it into a smooth ball between your palms, and place it on the prepared sheet about an inch apart. A tablespoon cookie scoop keeps them uniform, which also helps them bake evenly. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. If your cookies have spread flat and lost their round shape in the past, the butter likely went in too warm — chill the shaped dough balls on the sheet for about 20 to 30 minutes before baking next time, especially if your kitchen runs warm.

Step 4: Cool and Coat Twice

Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar while they’re still warm — this first coat melts slightly and helps the sugar stick. Once the cookies are fully cooled, roll them in powdered sugar a second time for that thick, snowy coating. If the centers still look doughy after the full bake time, let them sit a few extra minutes before testing again, since residual heat keeps cooking them briefly after they come out.

Step 5: Store

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.

Tips for the Best Results

• Measure your flour and sugar by spooning into the cup and leveling off, not scooping straight from the bag — packed flour is the most common reason the dough turns dry and crumbly
• Chop the pecans very finely; a handheld nut chopper works well and keeps the texture consistent throughout the dough
• If the dough feels too dry or won’t hold together even after following the recipe exactly, a tablespoon of extra softened butter usually brings it back
• Double-coating in sugar (once warm, once cooled) is what gives the thick, snow-like finish — skipping the second coat leaves them looking thin and patchy

Variations and Add-ins

• Swap the pecans for walnuts, almonds, or pistachios for a different flavor, though the dough’s texture stays about the same
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or a touch of orange zest to the dough for a subtle twist on the classic flavor
• Use mini chocolate chips in place of some of the pecans for a version kids tend to prefer

Sarah

Pecan Snowball Cookies

A buttery, melt-in-your-mouth dough packed with finely chopped pecans and double-coated in powdered sugar.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Servings: 36 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 110

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup unsalted butter cool but not fridge-cold
• 1 cup powdered sugar plus more for coating
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups pecans very finely chopped

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Cream the butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and salt, then add the flour gradually, mixing after each addition. Stir in the finely chopped pecans last.
3. Scoop about a tablespoon of dough, roll it into a smooth ball between your palms, and place it on the prepared sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
4. Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar while they’re still warm. Once the cookies are fully cooled, roll them in powdered sugar a second time for that thick, snowy coating.
5. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.

Notes

• Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients and will vary with brands and portion size.
• If the cookies spread flat instead of holding their shape, the butter was likely too warm — chill the shaped dough 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
• Measure flour and pecans by spooning and leveling, not scooping, to avoid a dry or crumbly doug.

Make These Pecan Snowball Cookies for Your Next Cookie Tray

These little cookies have a way of outlasting everything flashier on a holiday dessert table. They’re simple, they’re buttery, and that double coat of powdered sugar makes them look like they took a lot more effort than they actually did.

They’re also one of the easiest cookies to make ahead — bake a batch, store them in an airtight container, and they’re ready whenever company shows up or a cookie exchange rolls around.

If you give these a try, I’d love to see how your batch turns out — leave a rating and a comment below!

For more pecan recipes you will love:

• Butter Pecan Cookies
• Pecan Tassies
• Pecan Pralines
• Candied Pecans
• Butter Pecan Cake
• Heart Thumbprint Cookies