Snowball Cookies
Buttery pecan balls rolled twice in powdered sugar, baked pale for Christmas trays and exchanges.
Updated: Oct 6, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 40 min.
- Serves 36 — easy to halve or double.
- Easy level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
Ready in 40 min, this snowball Cookies serves 36. Snowball cookies are a classic USA Christmas cookie, also called Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes, served on holiday trays, at cookie exchanges, and alongside coffee after dinner.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes until fragrant, then cool fully and chop finely. Even small nut pieces distribute flavor without making the dough crumbly or hard to roll.
Beat the softened butter with 0.5 cup powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and creamy. Proper creaming traps air that keeps the cookies tender rather than dense. Add the vanilla and salt, beating well until smooth and light before adding any flour.
Add the flour on low speed just until no streaks remain, stopping as soon as the dough comes together. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cookies hard instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender. Fold in the chopped pecans with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Scoop 1-tablespoon portions and roll firmly between your palms into smooth balls. Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets, since these cookies barely spread. If the dough feels sticky or soft, chill the bowl 15 minutes so the balls hold their round shape.
Bake one sheet at a time for 13 to 15 minutes until the bottoms turn light golden while the tops stay pale. Do not wait for browning on top, which means overbaking and dry texture. The cookies will look soft but firm up as they cool on the hot pan.
Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar and set on a rack. Once fully cool, roll a second time for a thick snowy coat. The first layer melts in slightly and grips the second.
Cool completely before stacking or packing for gifts.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the coating will not stick, the cookies cooled too much before rolling. Roll the first coat while warm, within 5 minutes of the oven, so melting sugar grips the surface. Sift the rolling sugar to remove lumps that slide off instead of coating evenly.
- If the cookies spread flat, the butter was too soft or the flour too light. Use butter that dents but holds shape, spoon flour without packing, and chill warm dough 15 minutes. Verify the oven runs at 350 degrees with a thermometer.
- If the centers taste dry, they overbaked or the balls were too small. Keep full 1-tablespoon scoops, pull when bottoms just turn gold, and cool on the sheet only 5 minutes. Small cookies dry out faster than standard portions in the same heat.
- If the dough crumbles and will not roll, the nuts were chopped too coarsely or flour ran heavy. Chop pecans finely, measure flour by spooning, and press each scoop firmly. A teaspoon of milk kneaded in rescues dry batches without changing baking time.
Make it your way
- Spicier version: For a spiced batch, add 0.5 teaspoon of cinnamon and 0.25 teaspoon of nutmeg to the flour before mixing the dough.
- For chocolate snowballs, replace 0.25 cup of flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and roll in powdered sugar as directed, keeping the same bake time.
- Swap pecans for walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts in equal measure for different flavor.
- Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest with the vanilla for a citrus note.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months in freezer bags; thaw at room temperature 1 hour and re-roll in fresh powdered sugar before serving.
FAQ
Why are they called snowball cookies?
The double coat of powdered sugar gives a snowy white finish that resembles snowballs. They are also known as Mexican wedding cookies and Russian tea cakes across the USA. All three names describe the same buttery nut cookie rolled in powdered sugar while warm.
Can I make them without nuts?
Yes. Omit the pecans and add 0.25 cup extra flour to keep the dough firm enough to roll. The texture turns more shortbread-like and still coats well. Bake at 350 degrees for the same 13 to 15 minutes, watching bottom color for doneness.
How do I keep the sugar coating thick?
Roll twice: once while warm so sugar melts on, and again once fully cool for the powdery finish. Sift the rolling sugar first, replenish the bowl halfway, and store cooled cookies airtight. Re-roll in fresh sugar after freezing, since moisture thins the coat.