These Chocolate Pecan Snowballs are one of my favorite holiday cookies because they are packed with pecans and they simply melt in your mouth.
Let me start by saying these cookies I’m sharing the recipes with you here are extremely popular. I wouldn’t share them if they didn’t pass the taste test. Now I like these cookies because of the pecans, I love any cookie with pecans, especially one that melts in your mouth like these snowballs.
And don’t they just look like perfect little snowballs? It’ll definitely get sugar plum fairies dancing in your head – I can practically guarantee it. Even if you’re in a spot that has never seen a white Christmas, these are just as good – if not better!
What Are Snowballs?
Similar to Mexican Wedding Cookies, these tasty treats will absolutely melt in your mouth! They’re so easy, so tasty, and too festive to resist. The key to these cookies is keeping them round and rolling them in powdered sugar to finish them off – it will ensure we get that snowball look and a sweet melty mouth feel.
Ingredients
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Butter – Unsalted and softened.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar and powdered sugar to roll our cookies around in – hence a snowball!
- Egg – We don’t need many eggs today, just 1.
- Vanilla – Some vanilla extract is all we need to enhance the flavors of our melt in your mouth chocolate and pecan morsels.
- Nuts – I used pecans today, chopped up roughly.
- Chocolate – I used chocolate chips, either dark or milk chocolate works.
- Salt – Every dish whether its sweet or savory, needs a little seasoning.
How To Make Chocolate Pecan Snowballs
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Assemble the cookies: Add butter and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and mix them together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour and salt; stir into butter mixture. Fold in nuts and chips. Roll into 1 inch balls.
- Bake: Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool cookies slightly before rolling in confectioners’ sugar.
Not A Pecan Fan?
You can always use chopped walnuts, almonds, or even hazelnuts! Whatever kind you prefer will work just fine.
Turn Up The Flavor
To bring out the flavor of the pecans even more, toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 F degrees or until you start to smell them.
Storing Leftover Snowballs
You can store them in an air tight container at room temperature for about 3 days, if they’ll last that long. If you notice that the powdered sugar on them melts into the cookie, don’t worry. Just sprinkle them with more, or simply roll them through a bit more powdered sugar. Nobody will notice or mind!
Freezing
Simply transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Craving More Delicious Cookies?
- Classic Shortbread Cookies
- Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Date Nut Pinwheel Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Rumballs
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
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Chocolate Pecan Snowballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped, or walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Add butter and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and mix them together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour and salt; stir into butter mixture. Fold in nuts and chips. Roll into 1 inch balls.
- Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool cookies slightly before rolling in confectioners’ sugar.
Recipe Notes
- You can store them in an air tight container at room temperature for about 3 days, if they’ll last that long. If you notice that the powdered sugar on them melts into the cookie, don’t worry. Just sprinkle them with more, or simply roll them through a bit more powdered sugar. Nobody will notice or mind!
- These cookies also freeze extremely well, just place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
This recipe is very easy to do and all my guests loved it. I redo it even if it is not xmas! Continue your great job, i love to receive your emails and tried many of your recipes and not disappointed at all!!!!
Thank you so much, Linda! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
I love this Recipe! So Delicious! A GREAT addition to my Holiday baking. Thanks Jo for Sharing.
My pleasure!!
Awesome!!!! will make this weekend. Very excited.
Dear Jo, Chocolate! My favorite food group. Am making them this afternoon. I have to tell you that you and your husband have made a great decision about Christmas. Last year my daughter and her husband did the same thing. Each child got one present that they really wanted (adult children) and two or three smaller gifts. Instead of lots of unmemorable gifts, they bought can goods and non-perishable food and donated it to the local food pantry. They found an Angel tree and bought toys for that group along with hats and mittens. She said they spent as much as they would have on other Christmases but felt great about giving REAL gifts to those who really needed them. They are doing it again this year. That is what Christmas is all about. We have made it too commercial. B. Karr. P.S. The year I couldn´t have a tree I got a herb plant shaped like a tree from Walmart. Made house smell great and used up later in the kitchen. Happy Holidays!!! Bake on……
What a great idea, I might do the same because I really really still want it to feel like Christmas. Hope you bake along with me this year, stay tuned for all kinds of holiday baking recipes.
Hi Jo! I can’t wait to try this out! Do you have any tips for making sure the cookies come out nice and round? I’m worried mine will bake flatter, making the finished cookie look less like a snowball. Thank you very much!
Jen, you don’t have to worry about them flattening out, they will only spread a little bit, so you can even place them closer together on the baking sheet.
Just finished a batch and they came out lovely. Can’t wait for more recipes and suggestions!
Day 3 is coming 🙂
yummy holiday classic!
Yum!