Description
Classic Snowball Cookies are tender, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth treats coated in powdered sugar. With a simple dough of butter, flour, vanilla, and optional toasted pecans, these cookies are chilled, baked until lightly golden, and then generously dusted with confectioners’ sugar for a snowy finish. Perfectly crumbly and festive, they make a delightful holiday or anytime snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 3/4 cup (100g) finely chopped and toasted pecans
Coating
- 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and creamy. Add 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium-high until combined and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix on medium-high until incorporated. Switch to low speed and gradually add flour and salt. Though the dough may look dry at first, once all flour is incorporated, increase speed to high until dough comes together. Fold in chopped pecans if using.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. If chilling longer than 3 hours, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping, as it stiffens significantly when cold.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside. Pour the required confectioners’ sugar for coating into a shallow bowl for easy rolling of cookies after baking.
- Shape and Bake: Scoop or roll 1 tablespoon (20g) portions of dough into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are golden brown on the bottom edges and just lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes.
- Cool and Coat: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, gently roll them in the confectioners’ sugar to coat thoroughly. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Once fully cooled, roll cookies in the confectioners’ sugar again for a thick, snowy coating that sticks well.
- Storage: Store the cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
Notes
- This recipe uses just 5 basic ingredients in a single mixing bowl for ease and minimal cleanup.
- Chilling the dough is essential for texture but can be done from 30 minutes up to 3 days; just allow the dough to soften before shaping if chilled long.
- Toasted pecans are optional but add wonderful flavor and texture to the cookies.
- Handle cookies gently when rolling in sugar after baking as they are delicate.
- Double rolling in confectioners’ sugar after cooling gives the signature snowball appearance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 35mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
