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    Home » Cookies & Brownies

    Published Dec 21, 2018 · Updated Dec 25, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Pecan Snowballs (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Closeup of a bitten pecan snowball cookies stacked on others Pinterest banner.
    Closeup of a bitten pecan snowball cookies stacked on others Pinterest banner.

    Pecan Snowballs melt in your mouth with a rich buttery flavor and a delicate crumbly texture. Whether you know them as Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones), Viennese Crescents, or Russian Tea Cakes, you'll want to make these easy pecan shortbread cookies again and again!

    Pecan snowballs on a glass cake stand over pine cones & branches. this …

    [November, 2021: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]

    Why this recipe works

    • A variation on a shortbread recipe, Pecan Snowballs only need 5 ingredients
    • They have a rich buttery flavor and a delicate crumbly texture
    • The dough can be made ahead and frozen to be baked when you're ready. Perfect for portion control!

    I think most everyone can relate to a recipe that reminds them of a cherished relative.

    For my husband, his late grandmother’s Mandelbrot (a Jewish version of almond biscotti) was a cherished favorite. For me, it’s my late Sapta’s Russian Tea Cakes that bring me back to her home and her hugs. Funnily enough, I only knew them to be called pecan cookies with powdered sugar back then. Ah, memories...

    Yes, I view cookies as pre-portioned bits of food hugs.

    These cookies have many names, like Mexican Wedding Cookies, Viennese Crescents, or Pecan Snowball Cookies. I use them all interchangably.

    Whatever you call them, these cookies are easy to make and yummy to eat!

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • What you need
    • How to make Pecan Snowball Cookies
    • Questions asked and answered
    • Pro Tip: Toast the pecans
    • A buttery, crumbly delightful cookie, no matter the name
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

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    What you need

    Essentially, the ingredients for Pecan Snowballs are a variation of shortbread: just butter, sugar, and flour.

    The difference here is the addition of toasted pecans and vanilla extract, and the use of powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in the batter. It's the powdered sugar that give these cookies their distinctive crumbly texture.

    Oh, and let’s not forget the double coating of powdered sugar these babies get after baking!

    You can substitute other nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds) if you want, or even leave them out altogether (although then you really just have powdered sugar-dusted shortbread).

    Ingredients for pecan snowball cookies portioned into glass bowls from overhead.
    Not too many ingredients, and all good quality, as befitting a modified shortbread recipe

    How to make Pecan Snowball Cookies

    Step 1: Make the dough

    Beat the butter on medium speed until it's completely smooth and creamy, about a minute. Beat in ¾ cup (85 grams) of powdered sugar on medium high speed until the mixture looks creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed (photo 1).

    Adding flour to cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    Combining the creamed butter and the powdered sugar

    Add in the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until it's fully incorporated (photo 2).

    Adding vanilla to butter & sugar mixture in a glass bowl.
    Mixing in the vanilla extract

    Add in the flour in four batches, mixing on low speed (photo 3). The dough will become stiff and grainy, but will smooth out in the end. Once all of the flour has been mixed in, turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the dough fully comes together.

    Adding flour to cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    Beating in the flour in small batches

    Finally, beat in the pecans until they're evenly distributed in the dough (photo 4).

    Adding chopped pecans to cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    Mixing in the pecans

    After all that beating, you'll want to chill the dough to let the butter firm up. Just cover it with plastic wrap and pop it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (photo 5). This will make it easier to roll the dough into balls, and will keep the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

    You can also leave it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if you want to bake another day. However, if you'll be chilling the dough for more than 3 hours, the cookie dough will be very stiff and hard to roll. Just let the cookie dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling them into balls. 

    Finished cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    Chill the finished dough so the butter can firm up

    Step 2: Portion the dough

    Line two half sheet baking pans with Silpat silicone mats or parchment paper.

    Using a small cookie scoop, take one tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. Place the dough on the baking pan at least 2-inches apart (photo 6).

    rolled dough balls on a baking pan next to bowl of dough & cookie scoop.
    Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the dough

    Step 3: Bake the cookies

    Bake the cookies at 350˚F for 15 minutes or until they're golden brown on the bottom edges and just barely browned on top (photo 7). The cookies will flatten slightly as they bake.

    Collage of pecan snowball dough on a baking pan before and after baking.
    The cookies before and after baking

    Step 4: Coat the cookies with powdered sugar

    Here's where the Pecan Snowballs recipe differs from a shortbread recipe - the coating. Pour about half of the remaining powdered sugar into a shallow bowl (you can add more as needed). Allow the cookies to cool for five minutes on the baking pan, then roll them around in the powdered sugar to coat completely.

    The cookies will be fragile while they're warm, so be gentle. The sugar coating will be thin, but that's fine. This is the base coating which will allow the baked cookies to be slightly sticky. Place the cookies on wire racks to cool completely.

    Add the rest of the powdered sugar to the bowl. Once the cookies have completely cooled, roll them again in the powdered sugar and dust off the excess. You should get a much thicker coating of sugar this time (photo 8).

    Now you have that powdery exterior that Pecan Snowballs are known for!

    Collage of pecan snowball cookies on a cooling rack rolled in powdered sugar once and twice.
    Coating the cookies with powdered sugar, then doing it again

    Questions asked and answered

    Here are some questions you might have...

    Can I freeze snowball cookie dough?

    Both the unbaked cookie dough and baked cookies can be kept frozen in an airtight bag for up to three months. Thaw the unbaked dough overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come to room temperature before baking. This is especially helpful when you want to bake a small batch of cookies at the time (perfect for portion control!).

    How do you keep cookies fresh when shipping?

    Snowball cookies are some of the best Christmas cookies around, and you might be tempted to send them to far-away family and friends. To ship these delicate cookies, wrap 2 in plastic wrap, flat sides together. Pack the cookies, well cushioned with some tissue paper, in a rigid container. I like to use those plastic take-out containers you get from restaurants. You can also put the cookies in a ziplock bag before sealing the container (still wrapped, back-to-back). Finally cushion the container in your shipping box.

    Finished batch of pecan snowball cookies on a cooling rack with one bitten.

    Pro Tip: Toast the pecans

    What sets Pecan Snowball Cookies apart is toasting the pecans before you chop them up. Doing so enhances their flavor, adding extra...uhmm...oomph to the cookie. This is true whenever you bake with pecans.

    To toast whole or coarsely chopped pecans, bake them at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool a bit. You can also use unsalted dry-roasted chopped pecans and skip the baking step entirely.

    Use a food processor to pulse the pecans a few times to really chop them up. You want the pecans to be finely chopped so that they'll incorporate well into the cookie dough.

    Comparison of whole pecans, coarsely chopped, and finely chopped next to each other.
    Showing whole, coarsely chopped, and finely chopped pecans. The food processor helps.

    A buttery, crumbly delightful cookie, no matter the name

    Pecan Snowballs melt in your mouth with a wonderfully soft and crumbly texture from the powdered sugar (inside and out). Meanwhile, the pecans add a pleasant contrast and crunch to the rich buttery flavor. These are so much more than just pecan cookies with powdered sugar.

    Just know that if you're wearing dark colors when eating them, you might look like you've been caught in a snowstorm!

    Closeup of a bitten pecan snowball cookies stacked on others.

    Biting into Pecan Snowballs transport me to simpler times when my grandmother would pinch my cheeks, and I didn’t worry about calories. These cookies also showed that the fuss my grandmother made over her grandkids didn’t extend to fussing in the kitchen (with her Russian Tea Cake recipe, at least).

    I’m glad that these pecan shortbread cookies are easy to make, so I can bake a batch and conjure up a food hug whenever I want.

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Recipes

    If you like your cookies to be rich and buttery, here's a list of butter cookie recipes for you. Butter cookies galore!

    • Lemon shortbread piled on a pink cake stand with lemons on a towel.
      Glazed Lemon Shortbread Cookies
    • Raspberry Hamantaschen cookies stacked on a white plate with green trim on a green background.
      Hamantaschen Cookies Step-By-Step
    • Three cinnamon roll cookies on a striped towel in front of more on a green plate.
      Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
    • Pecan snowballs on a glass cake stand over pine cones & branches.
      Pecan Snowballs (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a comment further down the page.

    I'd love to hear from you! Stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and please tag me using the hashtag #scotchandsconesblog. You can also sign up for my mailing list. I can't wait to see your creations!

    Recipe

    Pecan snowballs on a glass cake stand over pine cones & branches.

    Pecan Snowballs (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

    Tammy Spencer
    Pecan Snowballs melt in your mouth with a rich buttery flavor and a delicate crumbly texture. Whether you know them as Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones), Viennese Crescents, or Russian Tea Cakes, you'll want to make these easy pecan shortbread cookies again and again!
    Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Chilling Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine General
    Servings 36 cookies
    Calories 119 kcal

    Equipment

    • stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer
    • 2 half sheet baking pans
    • Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper
    • small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon)
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped, see Recipe Notes

    Instructions
     

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment bowl (or hand mixer), beat the butter on medium speed until it's completely smooth and creamy, about a minute.
    • Beat in ¾ cup (85 grams) of powdered sugar on medium high speed until the mixture looks creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
    • Add in the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until it's fully incorporated.
    • Add in the flour in four batches, mixing on low speed. The dough will become stiff and grainy, but will smooth out in the end. Once all of the flour has been mixed in, turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the dough fully comes together. Finally, beat in the pecans until they're evenly distributed in the dough.
    • Cover the cookie dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days (see Recipe Notes).
    • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two half sheet baking pans with Silpat silicone mats or parchment paper.
    • Using a small cookie scoop, take one tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. Place the dough on the baking pan at least 2-inches apart.
    • Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until they're golden brown on the bottom edges and just barely browned on top. The cookies will flatten slightly as they bake.
    • Pour about half of the remaining powdered sugar into a shallow bowl (you can add more as needed). Allow the cookies to cool for five minutes on the baking pan, then roll them around in the powdered sugar to coat completely. The cookies will be fragile while they're warm, so be gentle. The sugar coating will be thin, but that's fine. This is the base coating which will allow the baked cookies to be slightly sticky. Place the cookies on wire racks to cool completely.
    • Add the rest of the powdered sugar to the bowl. Once the cookies have completely cooled, roll them again in the powdered sugar and dust off the excess. You should get a much thicker coating of sugar this time.
    • Pecan Snowball cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
    • Both the unbaked cookie dough and baked cookies can be kept frozen in an airtight bag for up to three months. Thaw the unbaked dough overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come to room temperature before baking.

    Notes

    To toast whole or coarsely chopped pecans, bake them at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool a bit. You can also use unsalted dry-roasted chopped pecans and skip the baking step entirely. Using a food processor, pulse the pecans a few times to really chop them up fine.
    Walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds can be used in place of the pecans or even leave them out altogether (although then you really just have powdered sugar-dusted shortbread).
    If you'll be chilling the dough for more than 3 hours, the cookie dough will be very stiff and hard to roll. Just let the cookie dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling them into balls. 

    Your Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 119 kcalCarbohydrates: 13 gProtein: 1 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 3 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 2 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 14 mgSodium: 1 mgPotassium: 22 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 7 gVitamin A: 159 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 5 mgIron: 1 mg
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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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