My old fashioned pecan balls recipe comes from my Nana. Also known as snowball cookies, they are a timeless treat that are perfect for the holidays. Sweet, slightly crunchy, and dusted in powdered sugar, they look like little snowballs and taste delicious.
I have been looking through some of my Nana’s old church cookbooks that she passed down to me. It’s so fun going through all of the recipes, seeing all of her notes, and seeing what was popular years ago. These pecan balls were one of her favorites and now I love making them too.
Just a handful of ingredients come together to make these melt in your mouth cookies. Once they bake up, they are rolled in powdered sugar giving them a beautiful snowball look. Perfect for the holiday season!
I also love making these for holiday cookie trays, cookie exchanges, or as a gift. This is a timeless recipe that is sure to be a hit with family and friends.
If you want more classic recipes be sure to try potato candy, gumdrop nougat candy, and punch bowl cake.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Melt in your mouth. These cookies melt in your mouth and have the perfect amount of crunch from the pecans.
- Simple ingredients. You can make these cookies with some simple ingredients.
- Nostalgic. A delicious old fashioned recipe that is sure to bring back memories.
- Freezer friendly. You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
This pecan balls recipe can be made with a few key ingredients.
- Unsalted butter: Use softened unsalted butter. It’s the base of the cookies and helps to give them great texture.
- Sugar: A little granulated sugar adds a hint of sweetness. These cookies aren’t super sweet and the powdered sugar helps to enhance the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Helps to add to the butter and adds warmth.
- Flour: All purpose flour is used for this recipe.
- Pecans: Finely chopped pecans add a little crunch.
- Powdered sugar: The cookies are rolled in the powdered sugar to give them sweetness and that beautiful snowball look.
How to make pecan balls
- Place softened butter, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix until the butter is creamy.
- Mix in the flour until the dough just combines.
- Mix in the chopped pecans until the dough is formed.
- Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop for the dough. Roll into a small ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue with the remainder of the dough.
- Refrigerate the balls for at least an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Let the cookies rest about 5 minutes and then roll in powdered sugar while they are still warm.
- Let them completely cool and then roll in the powdered sugar again.
Heather’s recipe tips
- Soften the butter. This will help make the dough smooth and easier to form.
- Chop the pecans finely. I like to chop my pecans in a food processor.
- Try to form the balls in even size. This will help to make sure they bake up evenly.
- Don’t skip chilling the balls before baking. This will help prevent them from spreading.
Variations
There are a few ways you can make this pecan balls recipe your own. Here are some suggestions:
- Nuts: Swap the pecans out with pistachios, walnuts, or almonds.
- Spices: Add in some spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Mini chocolate chips: Stir in a half cup of mini chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
Storage instructions
Let the cookies completely cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
They can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container.
Frequently asked questions
This dough can be a little crumbly. Just squeeze it together to form the balls.
If you would like a richer flavor, you can lightly toast the pecans but it’s not necessary.
If your cookies spread it might be because the dough was too warm before baking. Make sure to chill the dough balls in the refrigerator before baking.
More pecan recipes
Let me know if you make these classic pecan balls in the comments below.
Pecan Balls
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans, chopped finely
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use an electric mixer and beat together the butter, vanilla, and granulated sugar. Mix until creamy.
- Mix in the flour and then the pecans.
- Take 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until you run out of dough. Chill the balls in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Let the pecan balls cool for 2-5 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Let the balls completely cool and then roll them in powdered sugar again.
Notes
- Soften the butter. This will help make the dough smooth and easier to form.
- Chop the pecans finely. I like to chop my pecans in a food processor.
- Try to form the balls in even size. This will help to make sure they bake up evenly.
- Don’t skip chilling the balls before baking. This will help prevent them from spreading.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
