Try this Snowball Cookies recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 215.399868542477 g
- Cholesterol 488.050000621869 mg
- Fat 265.016074113187 g
- Fiber 17.1827943796345 g
- Protein 37.6027818618535 g
- Saturated Fat 123.729508257233 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (599g)
- Sodium 1312.98300944627 mg
- Sugar 198.217074162843 g
- Trans Fat 17.3768491171342 g
- Calories 3336 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until fully combined
- Add the all purpose flour and pecans and mix until it comes together into a ball
- Scoop the dough into 1” balls (I like to use an ice cream scoop) onto a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden
- Let cool and then dredge in powdered sugar until fully coated
Executing these cookies without a stand mixer requires a sturdy hand-cranked hand mixer or a stout wooden spoon to thoroughly incorporate the butter and sugar without overworking the gluten once the flour is added. Room-temperature butter at precisely 65 degrees Fahrenheit creams efficiently, trapping micro-air pockets that give the finished bake its characteristic sandy crumb rather than a dense, heavy mouthfeel. If the butter is melted, the structure collapses and yields greasy, flat discs instead of spherical mounds.
Finely chopping the pecans ensures they distribute evenly throughout the dough without creating structural weak points that cause the baked cookies to crumble apart prematurely. Standard metal baking sheets lined with unbleached parchment paper promote even bottom browning while preventing sticking, eliminating the need for chemical non-stick sprays that can alter the flavor profile of the dairy fat. Portioning the dough with a small spring-loaded scoop guarantees uniform 1-inch spheres that bake at an identical rate across the tray.
Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes requires careful visual monitoring because these confections should remain pale with only the faintest golden tint on the bottom edges. Over-baking dries out the interior, destroying the delicate moisture balance supplied by the butter and turning the pecans bitter. Pull the pans from the oven the moment the edges show color.
Dredging requires a two-stage approach for an opaque, lasting white coating that withstands handling. Roll the warm cookies once in powdered sugar to create a moisture barrier, then let them cool completely on a wire rack before applying a second, final coating that adheres properly without dissolving into a sticky glaze.
