Why does the powdered sugar coating disappear from my snowball cookies?

The first roll went on while the cookies were too hot, so the sugar melted completely into the crumb instead of forming a base shell. Rest the tray for 5 minutes before the first roll, then roll a second time once the cookies are fully cool. The melted first layer grips, and the second layer stays on as visible snow.

Should I freeze snowball cookie dough before or after baking?

Freeze it before baking, shaped into balls and uncoated. Frozen dough keeps 3 months and bakes from frozen with 2 to 3 extra minutes. Baked cookies freeze poorly by comparison, because thawing condensation melts the powdered sugar coating and leaves the cookies looking damp.

Can I make snowball cookies without nuts?

Yes. Replace the pecans with the same weight of rolled oats pulsed into a coarse flour, and add 1 extra tablespoon of butter. The crumb is plainer, so double down on vanilla or add a little cinnamon. Shape, chilling, and the two roll coating all stay the same.

Why did my snowball cookies spread flat instead of staying round?

The dough was too warm at some point: soft butter at mixing, a skipped chill, or shaped balls waiting in a hot kitchen. Chill the mixed dough for a full hour, and refrigerate the shaped balls for 15 minutes if the kitchen is warm. Cold dough barely spreads, which is what keeps the snowball shape.

Do snowball cookies need to brown on top?

No, and they should not. Browning on top means they have gone too far and will taste dry. Judge by the bottoms, which should be just turning pale gold at 13 to 15 minutes in a 325°F oven. The tops stay matte and pale under their sugar coat.

Snowball Cookies | Buttery Pecan Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (120 g) pecan halves
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, plus 1 1/2 cups (180 g) more for coating
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

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Instructions

Spread the pecans on a small baking sheet and toast at 350°F (175°C) for 7 to 9 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Cool completely, at least 15 minutes.
Pulse the cooled pecans in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the flour until they look like coarse sand. Stop before they clump into a paste.
Beat the butter with the 1/2 cup powdered sugar for about 2 minutes, until pale and smooth. Beat in the vanilla and salt.
Add the remaining flour and the ground pecan mixture. Mix on low just until a soft, even dough forms and no dry flour remains.
Press the dough into a flat disc, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into balls of about 1 tablespoon each (roughly 20 g), roll smooth, and pinch the top of each ball slightly so it stands taller.
Arrange the balls 1 inch apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 13 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are just turning pale gold and the tops still look matte and light.
Rest the sheet on a rack for exactly 5 minutes. Sift 3/4 cup of the coating sugar into a wide bowl and roll each warm cookie gently until covered. Move to a wire rack.
Once the cookies are completely cool, at least 45 minutes, roll them a second time in the remaining sifted sugar until they look freshly snowed on.

Author: Cookaza
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes