Easy Christmas Pecan Balls
These snowball cookies are surprisingly easy to make. Pecans can be finely chopped or coarsely ground in a food processor and toasting them first makes all the difference. I could not find a way to make these with less butter, I tried! (RECIPE CAN BE DOUBLED) - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: about 2 dozen
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup/4 ounces/113 g), softened (I use unsalted)
- 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans (walnuts work too)
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions:
- Put all ingredients except powdered sugar into a large bowl.
- Mix thoroughly by hand, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll cookies by hand into 1-inch balls.
- Place on ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet an inch apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until set but not brown.
- Let stand on cookie sheet about 2 minutes, then gently roll each one gently in powdered sugar. Let cookies cool.
- Once they cool (15-20 minutes), roll again (gently) in powdered sugar. Store loosely covered.
To Toast Nuts: Place on ungreased baking pan and bake at 350° F for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye so they don't burn. Cool, then chop.
Want to Freeze Them? Click here to see how.
Just made the snowballs, can they be frozen !. if yes with or without the powdered sugar
Thanks
I freeze the cookies even with the powdered sugar I’ve been doing this for years
I made these cookies for the last two years and I love this recipe….EASY, EASY, EASY! I can hardly wait to make them again!
Made them last holidays everyone love them !!!😍 thanks for the delicious recipe 😄
Okay Ladies and Gentlemen….this recipe is Fabulous….I’m am a hardcore Keto baker, so I’m going to try this with Almond flour and granular/powdered Erythritol. Here goes….
Hi Okie, just wondering how the pecan balls turned out Keto-style ?
I have made these for years. Jenny, I just tried your version today.
It’s cold here on the East Coast, so staying inside and baking.
Your recipe is kudos—the best! All other recipes are now obsolete!
Turned out as perfect can be. Recipe needs or requires NO tweaking.
Thank you Jenny, so very much.
My colleague shared this recipe and I must say Jenny it came out fabulous. It was just melting in the mouth
I baked them yesterday. They came out good but no as round as Jenny’s
🎄DELICIOUS! Thank you to my hometown gal, Jenny. (Yay London Ontario 🇨🇦)
Made today with all purpose gluten free flour and they came out GREAT. Thanks for the recipe! Merry Christmas Jenny. xx
Made these today and turned out great👍
Jenny! Yes you can cook! Bake too! Thank you for this recipe and the tip on roasting the pecans. Delicious!
I made them on 22nd giving away 26th where do I keep in fridge on counter
Hi Cathy,
An airtight container is best but it’s not necessary to refrigerate these cookies. They do freeze beautifully, if they make it there without being eaten. (LoL). Your friends and family will love these cookies!
🎀All the best to you and yours in 2022.
Need recipe. Cant save. Thanks so much
Merry Christmas.
Dangerously good cookies, Jenny! I used a small ice cream scoop to form them and it went sooooo fast!
Glad to see this, it’s what I am about to use, too!! A one T. scoop!! Thanks!!
What is the easiest way to chop pecans?
Put them in a plastic zip lock bag and run a rolling pin over them until they’re the right size. No mess and it takes a minute.
I made these today! Yummy but I should have doubled it! I had to use self rising flour since out of all purpose & no salt used. I also added teaspoon of almond flavoring for a little extra something! They are great!
Best cookie recipe, delicious!
Hi, Jenny! You made this recipe look so easy so I gave it a try last year.
They came out delicios!
They weren’t as pretty as yours but they sure were good.
As a matter of fact, I’m gonna make more this week but, this time, I’m gonna double the recipe ’cause those few that this recipe made lasy year didn’t last long at all! 🙂
NO, maybe I shouldn’t…but, I am! 🙂
Thank You!
Patrisha (Stepanski)…Yes, I’m Polish too.
Hi Jenny
Made these Christmas balls last year I figured you really needed to know.
Mine turned out good of course I had medicinal wine which really helped me during making these. I would recommend medicinal wine it really did help me. Jenny thanks for the recipe. Making more this year.
Hi Jenny. I am truly enjoying your videos. Not only do you have awesome recipes that even someone like me can make but you add your Witt and humor as well and it is truly such a joy to learn from you. I used to watch your talk show all the time. I loved it. You were the best. Who knew Jenny can cook? Thank you my ray of sunshine, may God bless you Jenny!
I made these last year and they turned out great but I just made them again and they were lousy. Could it be that there should be “powdered sugar” instead of granulated sugar in the recipe for making the actual batter. I know it’s powdered for rolling the cookies after they are made. Help, cause I loved these and I don’t want to waste any more ingredients. Thanks!
Yes use granulated sugar in the recipe
Nope, nope and nope. Follow exactly like she said / wrote. Nobody else had this problem.
Sure wish you would do a new video making a few Christmas cookies, even if they are old recipes you have done before. It would be nice to see you again and my grandkids would love following along with your simple, but delicious recipes. Merry Christmas Jenny!!
Thanks so much for this recipe. My grandmother made a similar cookie, Pecan Crescent. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Thank you for your easy delicious recipe.. have been making them every Christmas.. everyone loves them 😍
Jenny I will be making the Christmas snowball pecan ball
Here what I need from U I love that gingerbread potholder. Please
Jenny I will be making the Christmas snowball pecan ball
Here what I need from U I love that gingerbread potholder. Please Please
It might have been from Sur La Table but I’m not sure.
Thank you Jenny ! I’ve finally made sumthing great,( I’m terrible at cooking everything ) ( intil now) 🙂 it’s was easy to follow video etc and excellent outcome with the family’!
Best recipe ever! I just realized that I forgot to add the vanilla. Can I add it to the dough if I take it out of the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature and then try to knead it in?
Hi I can’t wait to try your cookies,but as I’m looking for my butter in the fridge,notice I only have sweet cream unsalted can I use this and will it change the taste, 😊
Great recipe, thank you! I put them in a cookie tin w parchment paper in between two layers. Today is Dec 4 – Can I leave the tin in my kitchen on a shelf until Christmas or should I refrigerate or freeze the tin?
Can I sub chocolate chip to replace nuts some people are allergic to nuts
Another option if not using nuts, substitute finely chopped dried cranberries, dates, or raisins.
Also, fruitcake mix would be tasty and colorful.
Dear Jenny, you are the best!!!
Have a joyful MERRY CHRISTMAS and
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I happened upon your YouTube video and loved it! There is nothing nicer than a really good recipe accompanied by good humor:)
Thank you for both!
Love your youtube recipes! Your my hero!!
I made these amazing cookies. I made a double batch cuz I trust Jenny’s recipes and the switch i did was one cup flour and one cup almond flour and they came out amazing. So hard to stop yourself at one ball lol😁
Hello ,I get scared doubling cookie recipes, do you just double everything in the recipe? Thank you for your help.
December 2021. Jenny girl so miss seeing new videos! But every Christmas you pop up on my feed. Hv made these cookies over an over an your bread.
Hope you are doing well. Texas here loves you!
So good! My mother-in-law make these every Christmas and I’ve been eating them for 20 years. I can’t see her this year unfortunately, but I decided to try yours. They were amazing and so easy! I’m making my second batch for New Years Eve later. Thank you for the tip on roasting the pecans. Have a great 2021!
I just made them . They are amazingly delicious. I love them and unfortunately I couldn’t stop eating them. Thanks fir sharing thus recipe. 😋
Jenny is right , anyone can make these . I made them with some pecans from Tennessee that my Dad in law gave us . So delicious 12/30/20.
Thanks Jenny you’re a gem💕be well.
Mahalo Jenny for the easy yet awesome recipe!
I didn’t have pecans but used macadamia nuts instead.
Stay safe and Aloha to you & yours!
Sasha G
Can you substitute with walnuts? Merry Christmas Jenny!!
I made them with toasted walnuts , they were just as good as pecans . I don’t keep pecans handy but always have walnuts in the freezer .these were delicious.
Thank you Jenny for the easy step by step recipe. I also love your cast iron pizza ,I make on a regular basis much healthier than take out . My husband loves it .I
Hi Jenny! My son and I loved your pecan balls; I just made them tonight for the first time. I hope you have a great holiday.
Hello Jenny thank you for sharing this recipe. I love these cookies but I will use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar next time!
Jenny, I love you! These cookies are so easy and so delicious. There are lots of videos out there, but I just love watching yours.
Jenny
I’ve been making your cookies for years and this is my all time favorite cookie to make at Christmas
I love all your recipes and miss your you tube channel
Omg! Just made these today 12/23/20 so good. They turned out perfect and so soft. I followed the recipe to a T!! Yummy!! I will be making these every year from now on I always thought they was hard to make. You made it so easy for me. My mom use to make these every year but she always made it look hard. LOL Thank you so much!! Merry Christmas!!
Easy peasy! Came out perfect. I had no idea these were so easy to make. Thank you Jen and have a Merry Merry Christmas!!!
We made cookies. Turned out crumbly,so added a pinch more butter to foam dough. After baking and sugering twice, cookies tasted dry. Pecans smelt wonderful after toasting for 8 minutes.
Thanks Jennie for all and merry Christmas.
Make sure to aerate your flour before measuring. Using too much flour might cause the pecan balls to be crumbly. Also, try letting them cool longer than 2 minutes (try 5 minutes) and handle them very gently when rolling.
Can these be frozen once prepared? (After dipping in sugar coating twice)?
We did, Mom made 10 doz ands sometimes they didn’t last. Day bought a deep freezer with a lock. My brother figured it out. Merry Christmas
Can I use self rising flour. Don’t have any all purpose
That was so cute when all the cookies were gone then you were eating the cookie and as you talked so cute. I laughed so hard. Thank you for your video.
Can I make it with walnuts instead of pecans?
Yes you can use walnuts in place of pecans
Made these cookies today bit substituted granulated suger with Stevie. They are delicious and as easy as Jenny says! Thanks Jenny.
Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if using Stevia would turn out ok. I try to substitute sweeteners every time I can.
Thanks for the video, we use to call them Butter Balls and they are so good
My neighbours comment after she could not stop eating them.
They were DEADLY
Can you make these cookies with almond flour or half it with all purpose flour? I love working with Almond Flour.
I substituted half of the flour with almond flour and it came out just as delicious!
I made a batch but not sure if I got the texture right. Should it be a bit dry with very fine crumbs? What should the final texture be like?
Hello Manny,
The same thing happened to me. Not sure what went wrong. I think I may have over baked them because my oven is a little bit tricky. At 350 for 15 minutes they were not cooked at all.
I too made them today 12/22/20 i doubled up on the batter and they were very crumbly. Almost under cooked but boy were they delicious.
Hi Manny, I just made mine today ( 12/22/20), and have the exact same problem. Mine came out of the oven so crumbly, that I couldn’t even pick them up to roll them in powdered sugar. They just literally crumbled. Even the crumbs sure are tasty though!
It came out very crumbly for me too, but I packed it into a rounded teaspoon until it became solid and was able to form balls. It helps to warm it in your hand a little so the buttle melts and holds everything together better. They ended up turning out perfectly with a little patience.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Yes I do that all the time
Jenny, Love your easy homemade recipes! My older sister used to make Snowball cookies every Christmas. When she passed away years ago I misplaced the recipe but from memory yours seems pretty much the same.
Thanks so much for reminding me of these wonderful treats and my sister!
Carol
Happy Holidays Jenny, my family and I really enjoy your recipes easy to follow and very tasty Thank you from all our tummy’s ?
Hi Jenny, I love your recipes and your videos, tey are always a big hit in our home! Thank you!
Can you please tell me where you find your gloves? The colors are so much fun to cook with!
Love ya Jenny! Keep cooking.
I love this chick!
Jenny,
I miss your talk show. Keep up the recipes. I will be making the pecan cookies this afternoon. I’ll have to hide them from my husband. Maybe I won’t cuz they’ll already be in my stomach. Ha!
Can I use King Arthur’s unbleached flour instead of the pastry flour?
Thank you
The recipe calls for all purpose flour, not pastry flour and I believe KA unbleached is all purpose flour.
Your ideo popped up n I watched it. After you snuck the cookie, you had my heart… then I made the cookies. Now you have my gratitude. Both were just what I needed to help with the times… I work at a sr retirement home n we were not even out of a lockdown due to one resident when 1 of staff n 5 more residents were positive.. they just, of course dont understand!!! But they will understand this when I get the kitchen to make them for me to take as afternoon snack!!!
I just wanted to say what a kind person you are! These are tough times & you CAN make it through this. You CAN do hard things! One day at a time & you share your time & love with us! Thank you! Love Lisa
My snow ball cookies mixer is a bit dry can I add a little bit of more butter.
I was always afraid to make these, never knew how easy they could be! Made exactly as directed and turned out fabulous thank you!
Jenny
I love these cookies. I have never made them before and they are great.
Good holiday fun.
Could I substitute honey for sugar n not roll my daughters in powdered sugar?
Hi Jenny, I’m half Italian so I make very difficult cookies and pastries for Christmas, but now that I have arthritis, I’m looking for more simple ones. Yours look so easy compared to my usual rolling, frying, twice baked, grating, not easy to do recipes.
I’ve always called these wedding cookies, but never tried making them. I will make 2 batches; one with walnuts, one with pecans. I send baked goods to my children every year (one is 3,500 miles away, the other a 5 hour drive). I can’t visit them this year so I will be including them in my cookie tray. Thanks so much for showing us how to make them!
Those sound delicious. I remember my mom getting similar cookies at Christmas time, but they had cashews instead of pecans or walnuts. I think I am going to try using them…I haven’t had those cookies in over 45 years. Blessings!
To Debbie who asked about using honey instead of sugar, that probably would not work if you tried to roll them. They would fall apart. What you could do is mix a half cup of honey, a tsp. granulated sugar, 1 tsp. water, heat on stove and cook on med- low 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly (do not burn). Let cool, then drizzle the honey over the cooled balls as a glaze.
I use Lankato sweetener in all baking/cooking that requires sugar. You can buy granulated and they even have powdered sugar. Some stores have it or Amazon.
I make these every year for Christmas… it’s a family favorite. My recipe calls for powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar but I think this year I might try your recipe. Because my son has nut allergies, I leave out the nuts but flatten out the dough to a disc, hide 4 or so chocolate chips inside, roll into balls and bake cookies as directed. I finish them off with the powdered sugar coating as the recipe directs. My daughter loves Andes mints, so I chop up mints and use those instead of chocolate chips in her batch.
Absolutely delish! Will make them over and over again.
It’s easy to see that the cookies disappear quickly so I was wondering if they
can be frozen. Thanks.
Please see my note in the recipe on freezing.
Thank you so much for this easy but delicious recipe! It has become a staple not just for Christmas but anytime!?
Love it thanks so much You’re the best ???
I am thinking Kahlua instead of the vanilla. We called them Swedish Wedding Cookies. I think they are sort of universal and have all kinds of names and variations.
I am thinking Kahlua instead of the vanilla.
Hello Jenny,
I made these three times during the Christmas holidays and everyone was asking me to do more for the next family gathering. Thank you!! Love your energy and the work you do to make simple easy recipes for everyone to enjoyed!
Take it to another level….Try baking at 325 degrees for 30 minutes until bottoms are golden brown for a fabulous, melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery taste!
Add cardamom ground to it. About a tea spoon and thank me later ?. Thank you Jenny for making baking a fun thing. Always been intimidated by baking.