Maybe you know them best as Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies. I grew up calling them snowballs!
Both my mom and grandma made these during Christmastime. Essentially, they are shortbread balls with finely chopped nuts folded in and rolled in powdered sugar while warm (more on that phenomenon below). Pecans are classic, but I used walnuts in the photos below. Something tells me pistachio or hazelnut would also be a-ok.
Behold the magical warm, sweet glaze phenomenon.
These cookies won’t take long from start to finish. The best part is rolling them in powdered sugar after they come out of the oven. Once they’ve cooled slightly, toss them around in a bowl of powdered snow (!) and watch in wonder and awe as the first coat sticks, creating a sweet base. 10 minutes later, you’ll roll them a second time– creating a thick coat of snowy sugar that melts due to the warmth of the cookie, resulting in kind of a glazed coating that is ever so addicting.
I use a 1-1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion these out which yields a cookie slightly larger than a golf ball. If you like, use a smaller scoop to make bite-sized snowballs. My grandma did it this way. I’ll never forget how they melted in your mouth. If you’re in the market for another holiday confection, you might try these chocolate pistachio biscotti.
Recently, Rachel at Two Loves Studio has been exploring #SeekTexture via Instagram, capturing naturally black and white foods in breathtaking light. I decided to shoot these snowball cookies on both a light white and dark black backdrop for comparison. Which do you prefer? Tell me in the comments below!
Honestly, I am so torn between the two styles. I love the striking monochromatic scheme of the first. Still, I love the contrast, layering and pop of the darker image. Maybe the darker backdrop helps to accentuate the texture and “snow.” Yes?
I looooooove some big chunks of nuts in these cookies. Don’t be afraid to leave some bigger than others. Happy holiday baking!
Pecan Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar plus more for coating
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 cups pecans, walnuts or nut of choice finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attachement, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and salt, mixing 1 minute more.
- Add the flour and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add nuts and mix until evenly dispersed, but don't overmix. The dough will be nice and thick.
- Use a 1-1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out balls of dough, placing them 2" apart from one another on the prepared cookie sheet (I find 6 evenly spaced cookies per sheet pan is best). Freeze sheet pan for 10 minutes. This will help the cookies to keep their round shape.
- Bake first batch about 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Pour a cup or so of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. While cookies are warm, carefully toss each ball into the sugar to coat once. Cookies will be fragile, so use caution! 10 minutes later, coat cookies in sugar a second time. Allow cookies to fully cool on racks before storing in a cookie jar shaped like a snowman.
Recipe formula by Southern Bite. Have a look at his original post!
I love the beautiful simplicity of these Ash! Getting ready to whip up a batch. These will be the perfect addition to my fomo cookie box if I ever get it done! Just lovely, my friend!!
Anita! I am so flattered you made these– thank you! They came out wonderful!!! Loved your cookie box!
Can this dough be refrigerated if I want to make the dough in advance?
Hi Katie! Absolutely. You can prep the dough a day ahead and wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate. You might want to leave it out at room temperature an hour or so before rolling to take the chill off. I hope this helps and you enjoy!