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.
will it work if I use a stand mixer?
Easy and delicious! Hubby hangs around like a vulture waiting to pounce on them.
Hi Jenny,am new to baking and have a silly question, is powdered sugar icing sugar,or just granulated sugar that is ground. Thanks.
Powdered sugar is icing sugar, also called confectioner’s sugar.
I made these for Christmas and I’m about to make some more today. I forgot to leave a review before so here goes… These cookies are wonderful! They are so delicious, easy to make, and they look so beautiful and festive in red and green mini muffin cup liners at Christmas. I toasted the walnuts a day or so ahead and kept them refrigerated to speed up the process on baking day! Thanks so much, Jenny!
Hello Jenny! I just made these cookies and they are delicious. Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes. ❤️
This Recipe is quick, easy, and Delicious!! Ive always wanted to try baking these and I must say these are just wonderful!
As an aspiring Baker I’m learning to “weigh” ingredients -especially Flour. Measuring “Cups” are not equal in Volume and will lead to disastrous results in the finished product. I have had great success with weighing all dry ingredients with a digital scale. Ive learned that Baking is an exact Science. I Read comments on published recipes and print off the ones I end up trying. I hope this helps someone.
This one is a keeper!! 😍
We found this recipe last night (after running out of Holiday gifted pecan balls) and made our first batch tonight. Made them a little smaller and got 31. Easiest recipe ever made possible by a great video. They taste great and 15 minutes in our oven worked perfectly! Thanks!
Very yummy also very crispy. Will check on them earlier next time as 15 minutes is too long for my oven.
The only thing I would add is some fine sea salt. It just brings out the flavor more. This is the only recipe that mixes the ingredients by hand, like my mother did. Thank you!
I love this recipe! This cookies are delicious, thank you!!!!
I’m very disappointed in these cookies. Many of them fell apart when dusting with powdered sugar. My Moms recipe where very buttery and not dry like these. I wished I would have asked her for her recipe. This recipe doesn’t yield many cookies at all.
This was my experience also and it was very disappointing but they were very tasty.. Just not sure how to keep them from being so crumbling. I did have to cook mine and extra 3 minutes too.
I made these cookies tonight and my stepson absolutely loved them. He popped three in his mouth in a matter of minutes. Problem is I only got 16 cookies out of the recipe. I followed it exactly. The ingredients were crumbly. I had to use my hands to mold it into a dough ball which was only about the size of a softball before refrigerating. Was hoping someone can give me some tips for my next batch or is what I described above normal?
Hi Nicole! I had really similar results to you in the past. This time I changed a couple of things. I measured the flour by weight (120 g) and used butter that was softened but still pretty firm (just because we’re going through a cold snap and I can’t get the dang stuff room temp). Working the dough with your hands will get the butter the perfect consistency. I also made sure I used 1 cup of whole pecans, chopped, not one cup of chopped pecans, if that makes sense. They turned out so light and fluffy this time, and I had no problems at all with everything sticking together as it should. If you use two tsp of dough per cookie, they’ll be the perfect size and you’ll get closer to 30 per batch. Good luck!
Thanks you so much for responding Kate! I will try your recommendations tomorrow. Like you, I have a hard time softening butter at my house too! Thanks again and Happy Holidays!
Let your stick(s) of butter sit out overnight and you will have soft butter. There are people who never refrigerate their butter,and it doesn’t go bad.
I mix all the ingredients in my stand mixer, they come out great.
I made these cookies with my 3.5 year old twin grandchildren. We had SO much fun and it will be a timeless treasure for all involved!
P.S. We came up with a creative way to put the powdered sugar on the cookies. We sifted it on. It worked great!
This was so much fun and yes, very easy to make 🤗. I made mine without nuts and they came out Great.
Thank you Jenny for the recipe.
Jenny,
My problem making these snowballs
I roll them the second time. Put them on a rack and turn around and their gone. Do they fall through the rack.
HaHaHa !!!!!
You have a wonderful sense of humor!! 😀
Is is supposed to be 2 cups of flour? Mine spread flat when baked.
The recipe is correct. Be sure to follow it exactly, chill the dough as noted, and make sure your baking pan is not warm, which can happen if you let it rest on a warm stove. Also, make sure your oven is fully preheated to 350 before baking and an oven thermometer is the best way to check it. This recipe has worked for me for years. Good luck!
My family loves these cookies. I use walnuts but think I will try the pecans. They really are very good
When will you start cooking/baking again? I’ve been through most of your delicious recipes many times <3
When will you start cooking/baking again? I’ve been through most of your delicious recipes many times ❤️
Jenny, my husband can’t eat nuts. Can I make this recipe without pecans? Thank you 😊
I make mine sometimes with or without the nuts with dried fruit, like cranberries, dates, strawberries, peaches or apricots. I dice up the bigger fruits. They’re delicious 😋
Jenny love your recipe, but I make some with powdered sugar, and some with cinnamon sugar every one enjoys both.
The recipe calling for powdered sugar is often called “Mexican Wedding cookies.
Name it what you want the tongue is going to be twisting and twirling!
Oh my goodness Jenny,
There was a party in my mouth. Toasting the pecan bring out a whole new flavor.
Thank you for the great tips and such an easy recipe for my grandchildren and I to make together ❤️.
Thank you so very much. As always your recipes are a favorite of mine.
Blessings
These couldn’t be simpler to make, and I had perfect results. These will be a huge hit on my cookie platter.
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.
Did you have a BBQ restaurant named after you?
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, 😊
Just add 1/4 tsp salt to butter.
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.