Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe

Tender, buttery, and coated in a cloud of powdered sugar, this Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe gives you classic, nutty shortbread cookies that absolutely melt in your mouth and look like tiny snowballs on your holiday table.

Full Recipe Introduction

If there’s one cookie that shows up every single Christmas on my counter, it’s these Mexican wedding cookies—also known as snowball cookies, pecan cookie balls, or butter pecan cookies.

They’re little bite sized cookies made from a simple nutty shortbread dough rolled into balls, baked until just set, and then smothered (generously!) in powdered sugar. You get that delicate, sandy texture, a rich buttery flavor, and just the right crunch from toasted pecans.

What makes this Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe especially special for me is how timeless it feels. I remember my own mother serving these as a “fancy” cookie on her good holiday platter, right next to the fudge and the spritz cookies. Now I make them for my grown kids and the neighbors, and everyone still reaches for them first. Some things don’t need updating.

These are:

Perfect as a holiday cookie recipe or Christmas cookie recipe
Naturally egg-free
Great for making ahead and freezing
Festive enough for cookie trays, wedding dessert tables, and potlucks

You know what? They’re also just lovely with a cup of coffee on a quiet Tuesday in February. Traditional Mexican cookies like these are often served at weddings, baptisms, and holidays, which is probably why they feel so cozy and celebratory at the same time.

Let me walk you through exactly how to make these powdered sugar cookies turn out perfectly every single time—no crumbling, no spreading, just round, snowy, nutty shortbread cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic, old-fashioned flavor: Tastes just like the traditional Mexican wedding cookies you grew up with (or wish you did).

Simple pantry ingredients: Butter, flour, sugar, nuts—nothing fussy, nothing hard to find.
No decorating skills needed: The powdered sugar coating is effortless, but looks like you worked all afternoon.
Perfect texture: Tender, crumbly nutty shortbread cookies that hold together but still melt in your mouth.

Holiday crowd-pleaser: Ideal as a festive cookie recipe for cookie swaps, gift tins, and Christmas parties.
Easy to scale up: Double or triple the batch for big gatherings or wedding dessert tables.
Freezer-friendly: Make the dough or baked cookies ahead and stash them for up to 2 months.
Flexible flavors: Simple variations let you turn them into almond snowball cookies, chocolate snowballs, or even spiced chai versions.
Great for gifting: They pack well, keep their shape, and look adorable in clear bags or tins.

Ingredients

This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe makes about 32–36 bite sized cookies, depending on how big you roll them.

1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Butter should be cool room temperature—about 65–67°F. When you press it gently, it should give but not feel greasy.
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar (also called confectioners’ sugar)
- This goes in the dough; using powdered sugar instead of granulated keeps the crumb very tender.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Use real vanilla, not imitation, for the best flavor.
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional but wonderful)
- This gives them that “bakery cookie” aroma; skip if you’re sensitive to almond.
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- Spoon and level your flour or weigh it to avoid packing too much in the cup.

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- If you only have table salt, reduce slightly (about 1/4 teaspoon).
1 1/4 cups (140 g) finely chopped pecans
- Toast them lightly first for deeper flavor. You can also use walnuts or almonds.
1–1 1/2 cups (120–180 g) powdered sugar, for rolling
- You’ll roll the cookies while warm and again after they cool, so don’t skimp here.

Ingredient notes & easy swaps:

Use salted butter and reduce the added salt to a pinch if that’s what you have.
For a fun twist, swap half the pecans for toasted almonds or hazelnuts.
Feel free to add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for a warm, cozy flavor.

Directions

Follow these steps, and you’ll get round little snowball cookies that don’t spread and don’t crumble.

Toast the pecans (optional but highly recommended).
Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 325°F (165°C) for about 6–8 minutes, just until fragrant. Let them cool completely so they don’t melt the butter in your dough.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar.
In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and slightly fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once or twice so everything mixes evenly.
Add the extracts.
Mix in the vanilla (and almond extract if using) until fully combined. This is where your kitchen starts to smell like a bakery.
Add the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add this mixture to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will look a bit crumbly at first, but it should come together when pressed with your hands.

Fold in the pecans.
Stir in the cooled, chopped pecans using a spatula or your mixer on the lowest speed. Don’t overmix—once the nuts are evenly distributed, you’re done.
Chill the dough.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30–45 minutes. This helps the fat firm up so your snowball cookies bake up round instead of flattening. If your kitchen runs warm, don’t skip this.
Preheat the oven and prepare pans.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Shape the cookies.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough (a small cookie scoop works beautifully) and roll it between your palms into a smooth ball. Place on the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart—they won’t spread much.
Bake.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, just until the bottoms are light golden and the tops look set but not browned. For most ovens, 13–14 minutes is the sweet spot. They should hold their shape when you gently nudge one.
First roll in powdered sugar.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. While they’re still warm (but not so hot they fall apart), gently roll each cookie in a shallow bowl of powdered sugar and place on a wire rack. The warmth helps the sugar cling and form that cozy coating.

Second roll for the snowball effect.
Once the cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar a second time. That’s how you get the full-on snowball look—don’t skip it if you like a thick, even coating.

Servings & Timing

Yield: About 32–36 cookies (1 tablespoon dough per cookie)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 30–45 minutes
Bake Time: 12–15 minutes per batch
Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes (mostly hands-off chilling and baking)

If you’re baking multiple sheets, rotate them halfway through for more even baking—especially if your oven runs hot or cool in certain spots.

Variations

Here’s where you can have a little fun with this classic Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe while keeping the basic structure the same.

Almond Snowballs: Swap the pecans for finely chopped, toasted almonds and bump the almond extract up to 1/2 teaspoon.
Walnut Wedding Cookies: Use walnuts instead of pecans for a slightly earthier, less sweet flavor.
Chocolate Chip Snowballs: Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips with the nuts for a kid-friendly twist.

Cinnamon Sugar Snowballs: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dough and a pinch of cinnamon to the powdered sugar for rolling.
Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies: Use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour; chill the dough well and handle gently, as gluten-free dough can be more delicate.
Orange Pecan Snowballs: Add 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest to the butter and sugar mixture for a bright, citrusy note that’s lovely for spring or Easter.

Storage & Reheating

One of my favorite things about these powdered sugar cookies is how well they store. They’re like little time capsules of butter and sugar.

Room Temperature:
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Layer them between sheets of parchment to protect the sugar coating.

Re-sugaring:
If the powdered sugar absorbs or rubs off over time, simply re-roll or dust them with a bit more right before serving.
Freezer (Baked Cookies):
Freeze baked and cooled snowball cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and refresh with a light sugar roll.
Freezer (Dough Balls):
Scoop and roll the dough into balls, freeze on a sheet until solid, then store in a bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.

Make-Ahead Tips:
If you’re planning a big holiday spread, you can make the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it chilled, well-wrapped. Let it sit on the counter 10–15 minutes if it’s too firm to scoop.

Notes

Chop the nuts finely. Big chunks of pecans can cause little cracks or holes in your snowball cookies. Aim for about the size of coarse breadcrumbs. A few larger bits are fine; just avoid big pieces.

Don’t overbake. These traditional Mexican cookies should stay pale on top. Once the bottoms turn light golden, pull them. Overbaking makes them dry and crumbly.
Weigh ingredients if you can. Flour is easy to pack too tightly into cups, which gives you dry, dense cookies. A small digital kitchen scale (often under $20) makes a real difference.
Roll while warm—but not hot. If you try to roll them the second they come out of the oven, they can break; if you wait too long, the sugar won’t stick as well. That 5-minute window is just right.

Double the batch for gifting. This Mexican wedding cookies recipe scales beautifully. I often make a double batch, freeze half, and feel very smug when I need a last-minute dessert.

Honestly, after testing these several times, the two biggest game changers were chilling the dough and doing that second sugar roll. Those tiny tweaks give you bakery-level snowball cookies at home.

FAQs

1. Why did my Mexican wedding cookies flatten instead of staying round?
They were probably too warm going into the oven or the butter was too soft. Chill the dough at least 30–45 minutes, and if your kitchen is warm, chill the shaped dough balls for 10–15 minutes too.

2. My cookies are crumbly and falling apart—what went wrong?
Most often, it’s either too much flour or not enough mixing at the beginning. Next time, weigh your flour, and make sure the butter and sugar are creamed until smooth so the dough can hold together.

3. Can I make these Mexican wedding cookies without nuts?
You can, but the texture and flavor will change. Try replacing the nuts with finely shredded unsweetened coconut or an extra 1/4 cup flour plus 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.

4. Can I reduce the sugar in this snowball cookies recipe?
You can slightly reduce the sugar inside the dough (to about 1/3 cup), but the powdered sugar coating is part of what makes these classic. If you cut too much, they’ll taste more like plain shortbread balls.

5. How do I keep the powdered sugar from melting or disappearing?
Make sure the cookies are cooled completely before the second roll in sugar, and store them in a cool, dry place. Humidity can cause the sugar to dissolve a bit—just re-roll or dust again before serving.

6. Can I use a different nut, like pistachios or hazelnuts?
Yes! This is a very flexible base. Finely chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, or walnuts all work—just keep the quantity the same and toast them first if you want extra flavor.

7. Do I need a stand mixer for this recipe?
No. A hand mixer works perfectly, and you can even do it by hand with a sturdy spatula and some elbow grease. Just make sure the butter is truly softened.

8. Are these traditional Mexican cookies really “Mexican”?
They’re part of a larger family of nutty shortbread cookies enjoyed in many cultures—Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, Italian wedding cookies, and snowball cookies are all close cousins with slight regional twists.

Conclusion

This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe brings together everything I love about holiday baking: simple ingredients, reliable results, and that little spark of nostalgia with every bite. You get buttery, nutty, powdered sugar–coated cookies that look gorgeous on a cookie tray and taste even better with a cup of coffee or cocoa.

If you bake a batch, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you—tell me what nuts you used, how you served them, or if they made it onto your annual Christmas cookie recipe list. And if you’re in a baking mood, these go beautifully next to other classic Mexican desserts and simple shortbread-style cookies, so feel free to keep the oven warm and keep the tradition going.

Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs

Tender, buttery, nutty shortbread cookies rolled in powdered sugar twice so they look like tiny snowballs. Classic Mexican wedding cookies that melt in your mouth and are perfect for holidays, weddings, and gifting.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 15

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings cookies

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened; 2 sticks / 226 g, cool room temperature (about 65–67°F)
1/2 cup powdered sugar 60 g; also called confectioners’ sugar, for the dough
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional but recommended
2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g; spoon and level or weigh for accuracy

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt reduce slightly if using table salt
1 1/4 cups pecans 140 g; finely chopped and lightly toasted, cooled; or sub walnuts/almonds
1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 120–180 g, for rolling the baked cookies
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional, for a warm flavor

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) for toasting the nuts. Spread the finely chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, just until fragrant. Let them cool completely so they don’t melt the butter in the dough.
1 1/4 cups pecans

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and slightly fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once or twice so everything mixes evenly.
1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract (if using) until fully combined.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt (and optional cinnamon). Add this mixture to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will look a bit crumbly but should come together when pressed with your hands.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir in the cooled, chopped pecans using a spatula or your mixer on the lowest speed, just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
1 1/4 cups pecans
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30–45 minutes, until slightly firm. This helps the cookies hold their round shape and prevents spreading.
When the dough is almost chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and roll it between your palms into a smooth ball. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. The cookies will not spread much.
Bake the cookies for 12–15 minutes, just until the bottoms are light golden and the tops look set but not browned. For most ovens, 13–14 minutes is ideal. They should hold their shape when gently nudged.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. While still warm (but not so hot they crumble), gently roll each cookie in a shallow bowl of powdered sugar and place on a wire rack. The warmth helps the sugar cling.
1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Once the cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar a second time for a thick, even, snowball-like coating.
1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Let the cookies sit until the sugar coating is set, then serve or store. Enjoy with coffee, tea, or on a holiday cookie tray.

Notes

Chop the nuts finely—about the size of coarse breadcrumbs—to help the cookies stay smooth and round without cracking. Don’t overbake; the tops should remain pale and the bottoms just lightly golden for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Chilling the dough and rolling the cookies in powdered sugar twice are key to getting perfect snowballs. Store at room temperature up to 5 days in an airtight container, or freeze baked cookies or dough balls for up to 2 months. If the powdered sugar fades, simply re-roll or dust before serving.