Snowball Cookies

Whether you call them snowballs, Russian tea cakes, or Mexican wedding cookies, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a must for so many people during the holidays. It seems no cookie platter is complete without them. I like to make them with ground pecans, but feel free to substitute ground walnuts or almonds.

This cookie dough is extremely easy to make as long as you start with room temperature butter. Just place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine until no traces of dry flour remain. If you use BeaterBlade attachment, you won’t have to stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl.

Tip: Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to microwave cold butter to soften it - melted butter and softened butter act very different in recipes so just be patient and wait until the butter reaches room temperature naturally.

Use a #60 cookie scoop to portion out the dough.

Place them evenly on a silicone lined half sheet pan and bake as directed below. If you like, roll the dough into balls (I don’t because they roll all over the place).

Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before rolling in confectioner’s sugar.

Tip: I like to store used vanilla bean pods in my confectioner’s sugar. It really improves the flavor.

Just remove the vanilla bean pods from the confectioner’s sugar while you roll the cookies so they don’t get in your way. Replace them when you’re done.

Mmmm… your kitchen is going to smell like vanilla!

Allow the cookies to cool completely and, if you like, give them a 2nd toss in the confectioner’s sugar. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• BeaterBlade https://amzn.to/2DU8STk

• #60 cookie scoop https://amzn.to/3oCcBM7

• silicone baking mat https://amzn.to/367mM4Z

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3oC6rLW

• pure vanilla extract (the good stuff) https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

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Snowball Cookies (aka Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies)

makes 48 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature (70F)

• 1/2 cup (63g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted

• 1 teaspoon (4g) pure vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups (270g) all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup (90g) finely chopped toasted pecans (or walnuts or almonds)

• extra confectioner’s sugar for coating the cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and place rack in center position.

2. Place the first 6 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade or paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until no traces of dry flour remain (if you us a paddle attachment, scrape down sides of bowl as needed).

3. Use a #60 cookie scoop to portion 12 cookies per tray; bake one tray at a time for 8-10 minutes.

4. Remove cookies from oven and allow to rest on tray for 5 minutes before rolling in confectioner’s sugar; return cookies to tray and allow to cool completely before rolling in confectioner’s sugar a second time.

Note

• To toast pecans, place in a 350F oven for 5 minutes; cool completely before using.

More Christmas Cookies:

Sweet Pumpkin Spice Bread

It’s October which means pumpkin spice season has arrived. I like a few pumpkin spice things, but I know some people who are completely obsessed. They go gaga for everything pumpkin spice. Whether you fall into that obsessed category or not, you’ll love this simple quick bread. And feel free to use canned pumpkin puree (not canned pie filling), which is often less fibrous than fresh pumpkin puree.

Note: If you’d like to try making your own pumpkin puree, pick up a sugar pumpkin from your local farmer’s market. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds, place it cut side down on a rimmed, oiled half sheet pan, piercing the halves in several places with a sharp knife. Bake in a 400F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and can easily be scooped out. Cool completely, then puree in a food processor or blender until smooth (you can skip this step if your pumpkin isn’t too fibrous).

Start by preheating the oven to 350F and place the oven rack in the lower middle positions. Prepare your pan by spraying with Baker’s Joy; set aside until needed.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, applesauce, sugar, and eggs.

Whisk to combine.

In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Whisk well to combine.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and mix well with a rubber or silicone spatula.

No traces of dry ingredients should remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake as directed below.

Cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 8x4-inch professional loaf pan https://amzn.to/2QomBF2

• Baker’s Joy https://amzn.to/2IxCkiv

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/2QoorFM

• serrated bread knife https://amzn.to/2OuEULj

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PUMPKIN SPICE BREAD

makes one 8x4-inch loaf (1 pound)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

• 4 ounces applesauce

• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or double if using dried)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, coat a 8x4-inch metal loaf pan with Baker’s Joy spray, and place oven rack in lower center position.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, applesauce, sugar, and eggs; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, and cinnamon.

4. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture and whisk until no dry lumps remain.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center (and all the way down to the bottom of the pan) comes out clean.

6. Remove bread from oven and rest for 10-15 minutes before unmolding.

7. Allow bread to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Notes

• To make pumpkin puree, preheat oven to 400F. Cut pumpkin in half, scoop out and remove seeds. Place halves, cut side down, on an oiled half sheet pan. Pierce skin with knife in several places. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the outer skin softens and gives under pressure. When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh and use a food processor or blender to puree (you can skip this step if your squash doesn't have a stringy texture).

• Freeze leftover pureed pumpkin in 1-cup portions so you can bake a fresh loaf whenever the mood strikes.

• This bread freezes beautifully when vacuum sealed or wrapped well in plastic followed by heavy-duty foil, being sure to seal very well. Thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping.