Snowballs

Name: Snowballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 dozen
Ingredients: 1 cup butter; ½ cup white sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour; ¾ teaspoon salt; 1 cup chopped pecans; ¾ cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Rating: 4.55 stars

94 Ratings
73 Reviews
5 Photos

These nut and butter cookie with a sugar coating are great for the holidays when sampling lots of cookies. Just pop one in your mouth and enjoy!

By Earla Taylor

Gallery

Recipe Summary

prep:

15 mins

cook:

25 mins

additional:

15 mins

total:

55 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 dozen

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

Original recipe yields 24 servings

The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

1 cup butter
½ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
¾ cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C.) Lightly butter 2 baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.

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Step 2

Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and salt; mix into the butter mixture. Stir in the pecans. Dust your hands with a little of the confectioners' sugar and roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
Step 3

Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 25 minutes or just until brown. Put on racks to cool for 15 minutes, then roll in the confectioners sugar.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

170 calories; protein 1.6g 3% DV; carbohydrates 16.7g 5% DV; fat 11g 17% DV; cholesterol 20.3mg 7% DV; sodium 127.4mg 5% DV. Full Nutrition

Reviews (73)

Most helpful positive review

Rachael LeBLanc

12/19/2005

This recipe is awesome! I think the reason why some people's came out flattened is they might have worked with the dough too much OR their kitchen was too hot. If it is too hot inside your kitchen things tend to react differently. AND if you kept working with the dough your hands may have congealed the butter more and made it more liquid within the cookie. If it's hot in your kitchen and you are working with things like this it's best to keep the dough in the fridge and take out little bits to roll while you make them. Hope this makes sense! Read More

Helpful

(56)

Most helpful critical review

AWO

01/12/2005

I love snowballs but didn't have my recipe. I used this one instead because I was short on powedered sugar and this didn't use any in the dough. They were not like what I've made before at all. The cookies flattened out in the baking so that they weren't balls at all and they were too salty. If you do make these I reccomend rolling them in sugar twice: once when they're hot out of the oven and again after they've cooled. The first layer gets rather pasty from the heat but soaks into the cookies very well. The second layer sticks to the outside for a nice look. Read More

Helpful

(29)

94 Ratings

5 star values: 67
4 star values: 20
3 star values: 3
2 star values: 0
1 star values: 4

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Rachael LeBLanc

12/19/2005

Helpful

(56)

AWO

01/11/2005

Helpful

(29)

TDEMADERIOS

04/24/2004

My family loved these cookies. They came out just like I hoped. Sifting the flour was a great idea. I did overcook the first batch because I kept waiting for them to get a little brown and they never did. The secret is to check the bottom and see if that has become slightly brown. Great recipe. Thanks! Read More

Helpful

(26)

19003

12/05/2006

Is it possible that folks are experiencing trouble because of the white sugar? I have made snowballs aka Mexican Wedding Cakes aka Swedish Tea Cakes for as long as I can remember and have always used powdered sugar in the dough. Read More

Helpful

(19)

Jamie

12/09/2003

Yum this recipe was great! You just might want to adjust the cooking time. I found if you followed the recipe cook time the cookies were quite overdone! Read More

Helpful

(15)

Nancy Grissinger Parmer

12/08/2013

PLEASE NOTE! I've already reviewed this recipe once. It's fabulous but a few changes make it even better. Leave the recipe alone...It's perfect. Roll the cookies smaller than you think you should. The recipe says it makes 48...I can get 110 out of it. They turn out so much better the smaller they are. I also toast the pecans before I put them into the cookie. Also roll the cookies in powdered sugar right when they come out of the oven and then roll them again. The first coating gets kind of sticky and then the second coating makes them perfect. Make these cookies...you won't regret it! Read More

Helpful

(14)

James Anthony Butler

12/22/2008

I would have given this recipe 5 stars however as written it's problematic. Here's the low down I got from my sister who bakes all the time. First off the dough absolutely needs to be chilled prior to baking. Second the oven temperature should be 350. I tried this and the balls were perfect. Lastly use unsalted butter when baking with a recipe that calls for salt. Using 3/4 teaspoons of salt and salted butter will make the cookies too salty. This same dough can be used to make crescents or if you don't mind them spreading they make a very tasty cookie. Read More

Helpful

(10)

GABRIELA

10/26/2005

I USED THIS RECIPE FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR. EVERYONE LOVED IT. I AM DEFINITLY GOING TO USE IT AGAIN. THANKS. Read More

Helpful

(9)

RoRo

12/03/2008

I have made this recipe for over 40 yars. We call it Russian Teacakes the Russian friend of my mother made them every year and I do now. In fact I am making 2 batches today for a dinner tonight. The problem you are all having IS in the sugar. It has to be confectioners sugar to et the light and fluffy taste and texture. When you bite into these cookies they should fall apart in your mouth. I also use walnuts that are a bit more solid although I love pecans. I also use more flour 2 1/4 cup and less salt 1/4 tsp. this also may be your problem. Do try these they have always been a big hit. Read More

Helpful

(7)

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Nutritional Information

Snowballs

Servings Per Recipe: 24
Calories: 170

% Daily Value *

protein: 3 %

carbohydrates: 5 %

exchange other carbs:

dietary fiber: 3 %

sugars:

fat: 17 %

saturated fat: 26 %

cholesterol: 7 %

vitamin a iu: 5 %

niacin equivalents: 8 %

vitamin b6: 1 %

vitamin c:

folate: 5 %

calcium: 1 %

iron: 3 %

magnesium: 3 %

potassium: 1 %

sodium: 5 %

thiamin: 11 %

calories from fat:

percent of calories from carbs:

percent of calories from fat:

percent of calories from protein:

percent of calories from sat fat:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Reviews for: Photos of Snowballs

1 of 73

All Reviews

Rachael LeBLanc

12/19/2005

Helpful

(56)

AWO

01/11/2005

Helpful

(29)

TDEMADERIOS

04/24/2004

Helpful

(26)

19003

12/05/2006

Helpful

(19)

Jamie

12/09/2003

Yum this recipe was great! You just might want to adjust the cooking time. I found if you followed the recipe cook time the cookies were quite overdone!

Helpful

(15)

Nancy Grissinger Parmer