Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

Name: Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); ½ cup confectioners sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon almond extract; 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 cup finely chopped pecans; 1-2 cups confectioners sugar (for coating)

Get ready for Christmas baking with these buttery pecan snowball cookies, a melt-in-your-mouth holiday classic! Coated in powdered sugar and packed with chopped pecans, these snowballs are perfect for your holiday cookie platter.

Plate of buttery pecan snowball cookies, perfect for Christmas and holiday gatherings.

Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, or Butter Balls, snowball cookies are delicious. They’re full of buttery, nutty flavor and rolled in powdered sugar to make them nice and sweet. They’re perfect for adding to holiday tins because they can be stored at room temperature.

For a different take on this classic Christmas cookie, try my Christmas Snowball Cookies, Candy Cane Snowball Cookies, and Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies for your cookie exchange.

Snowball cookies with pecans, dusted with powdered sugar and arranged on a plate for the holidays.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture – Each bite is soft, buttery, and perfectly crumbly.
Festive Look – Covered in powdered sugar, they look just like little snowballs—perfect for the holidays!
Simple Ingredients – You only need a handful of pantry staples to whip these up.
Nutty Goodness – The chopped pecans add a delicious crunch and rich flavor.
Make-Ahead Friendly – These cookies keep well, making them ideal for holiday prep and gifting.

Ingredients for Buttery Snowball Cookies

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients for buttery pecan snowball cookies, including flour, butter, chopped pecans, vanilla extract, almond extract, confectioners sugar, and salt.

Unsalted Butter — Use real butter (not margarine). If using salted butter omit the added salt.
Confectioners Sugar — Also called powdered sugar, you’ll use this to make the cookie dough and to roll the cookies in once they’re done baking.
Vanilla and Almond Extracts — I like to use a combination of vanilla and almond extracts, but you can skip the almond extract if you don’t care for it.
Flour — Regular all-purpose flour.
Salt — A little salt to balance the flavors.
Pecans — Finely chopped pecans add crunch and nutty flavor to snowball cookies. Buy them finely chopped or pulse them a few times in the food processor to get the job done. Grab a bag of toasted pecans or toast them yourself for added flavor.

Equipment You’ll Need

Measuring cups and spoons
Cookie sheets
Mixing bowl & rubber spatula
Electric mixer
Parchment paper – I am obsessed with these parchment sheets.
Cookie scoop – I’ve been using this set of scoops for years and they have held up very well.
Cooling rack

How to Make Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies

This section shows you how to make the recipe with in-process photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepare the cookie batter. Beat to combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the salt and slowly, with your mixer on low speed, mix in the flour. Fold in the chopped pecans.

Mixing bowl with pecan snowball cookie dough and chopped pecans, ready to be combined for a nutty, buttery texture.

Step 2: Roll and bake. Scoop out the dough, roll into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on prepared baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until set.

Scooping pecan snowball cookie dough with a cookie scoop, with dough balls lined up in the background.

Tip: If the dough is difficult to work with, put it in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes or so.

Step 3: Roll in confectioners sugar. Once the cookies are cooled just enough to handle roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar and place them on a wire rack. For best results, roll them in the sugar once more after they are completely cooled.

Step-by-step process of rolling snowball cookie dough in powdered sugar and cooling on a wire rack.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy a couple of these easy pecan snowball cookies with a big mug of hot chocolate. Instead of the packaged stuff try White Hot Chocolate or Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

Classic Mexican wedding cookies with a snowy powdered sugar coating, also known as pecan snowballs or Russian tea cakes.

Storage

Room Temperature

Store Mexican wedding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Freezing Pecan Snowball Cookies

Yes, these cookies freeze well! Freeze baked cookies in a single layer in a freezer bag or separated by wax paper in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

To thaw, place in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature in a single layer to avoid sogginess. Once thawed, roll them in powdered sugar to refresh before serving.

Freezing the Dough

To freeze the dough, roll into balls and flash freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Then transfer to a freezer bag or container. When baking from frozen, add 2–3 minutes to the baking time.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Toast the Pecans – Toast pecans lightly before adding to the dough for extra depth of flavor.
Rotate Pans – Rotate your baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
Chill the Dough – If the dough is too soft to handle, pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to make forming balls easier.
Double-Coat in Sugar – For the best snowy look, roll cookies in powdered sugar twice, once while warm and again when completely cool.
Refresh Confectioners Sugar – If the sugar gets clumpy while rolling, replace it with fresh sugar for a smooth finish.

Close-up of hand holding a melt-in-your-mouth snowball cookie with a powdered sugar coating and visible pecan bits.

Additions and Variations

Try different flavors. Swap the almond and vanilla extracts for orange or lemon extract, and add a bit of orange or lemon zest for a fresh flavor twist.
Add chocolate chips. Stir in mini chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
Use different nuts. Swap pecans for almonds, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, or cashews.
Stuff with chocolate. Place a Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each ball for a chocolate surprise.
Add warm spices. A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg adds cozy warmth to the flavor.

Snowball Cookie Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

Why are my snowball cookies spreading?

Typically, this happens when the butter gets too hot too fast. Make sure you start with butter at room temperature. It shouldn’t be too soft and definitely shouldn’t be melted.

Why did my snowball cookies turn out flat?

This happens when the cookie dough gets too warm before the cookies start baking. If you think yours are too warm (an indicator is that the dough is difficult to work with), chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so until rolling the balls is easier.

Why won’t the powdered sugar stick?

The powdered sugar won’t fully coat your cookies after the first roll. That’s why I suggest rolling them once while they are warm and again when fully cooled. If you would still like a thicker coating you can even roll them in powdered sugar a third time.

Buttery pecan snowball cookies, also known as Russian tea cakes or Mexican Wedding cookies, coated in powdered sugar and stacked in a pyramid on a white plate.

Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

Whether you call them pecan snowballs, Mexican wedding cookies, or Russian tea cakes, I’m sure you will agree that these cookies are a real crowd-pleaser.

For more of the Best Christmas Cookie Recipes try some of my other favorites:

Recipe

Close-up of buttery pecan snowball cookies dusted with powdered sugar.

Recipe

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