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Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe
This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe gives you tender, nutty shortbread cookies rolled in soft clouds of powdered sugar—an easy, festive treat that looks like mini snowballs on your holiday cookie tray.
What Makes Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs So Special?
If you’ve ever bitten into a little round cookie that crumbles, melts, and then leaves a trail of powdered sugar on your sweater, chances are you’ve met Mexican wedding cookies. These bite sized cookies go by many names—snowball cookies, Russian tea cakes, butter pecan cookies—but the idea is the same: buttery, nutty shortbread balls coated in sweet powdered sugar.
This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe is my go-to holiday cookie recipe, especially when my December calendar fills up and I still want a classic Mexican dessert on the table. They’re simple, they keep well, and they’ve never once come home uneaten from a cookie exchange. I’ve been making some version of these since the mid-90s, long before “snowball cookies recipe” started trending on Pinterest.
What I love most is how they feel fancy but require almost nothing special. No frosting, no food coloring, no elaborate decorating. Just basic pantry ingredients—flour, butter, sugar, and pecans—coming together as these tender nutty shortbread cookies that work for Christmas, weddings, baby showers, or “it’s Tuesday and I need a cookie.”
They’re also naturally egg-free and easy to adapt for different diets with a few simple swaps. And because they’re small and not overly sweet, they slip perfectly into holiday tins, cookie boxes, and lunchbox treats. Around here, they’re one of the first things I bake when the weather cools off and the last thing to disappear from the cookie jar.
Let me walk you through my version of this classic Mexican wedding cookies recipe—and share all the little tricks I’ve picked up after many seasons of powdered-sugar-covered counters.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe
- Simple ingredients: Butter, flour, sugar, nuts—you probably have most of what you need right now.
- No fancy tools needed: A bowl, a mixer (hand or stand), and a baking sheet are plenty.
- Perfect make-ahead cookie: These traditional Mexican cookies keep well and even taste better the next day.
- Ideal for gifting: They’re sturdy, stackable, and look gorgeous in tins, jars, or on party platters.
- Naturally egg-free: Great if you’re baking for someone with egg allergies.
- Classic holiday vibe: Like edible snowballs, they’re a beautiful Christmas cookie recipe for winter gatherings.
- Easy to customize: Switch the nuts, add spices, or splash in a little citrus for fun twists.
- Kid- and crowd-friendly: Small, mild, and not too sweet—people keep reaching for “just one more.”
- Beginner-friendly: The dough is forgiving, and I’ll walk you through all the common trouble spots.
Ingredients for the Best Mexican Wedding Cookies
This recipe makes about 30–36 small pecan cookie balls, depending on how big you roll them.
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour – Spoon and level for accurate measuring; too much flour makes dry cookies.
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt – Balances the sweetness; table salt works too.
Butter & sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened – Room temperature, but not greasy or melted. If you use salted butter, reduce added salt to a pinch.
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted – For the dough; this gives the cookies their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Flavor & nuts
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract – Real vanilla gives richer flavor than imitation.
- 1 cup (110 g) finely chopped pecans – Toasted for extra flavor. Walnuts or almonds also work if you don’t have pecans.
For rolling
- 1 to 1½ cups (120–180 g) powdered sugar, sifted – For coating the warm cookies; sift to avoid clumps and get that light snowy look.
Substitution notes:
- For a slightly more delicate flavor, swap half the vanilla for almond extract (½ teaspoon is enough—it’s strong).
- For a firmer cookie that ships well, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch with the flour.
- For a dairy-free version, use a high-fat plant-based butter stick (like Country Crock Plant Butter or Earth Balance sticks) and chill the dough a bit longer.
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs (Step-by-Step)
You’ll see that this snowball cookies recipe is as easy as mixing, rolling, and baking—no fuss at all.
1. Toast the pecans (optional, but highly recommended).
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let them cool completely before adding to the dough.
Tip: Toasting brings out that butter pecan flavor and makes these powdered sugar cookies extra special.
2. Cream the butter and powdered sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with ½ cup powdered sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed. Mix for about 2–3 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy and a bit paler in color.
If your butter is too cold, give it a few minutes on the counter; if it’s too soft and greasy, your dough may be sticky, so chill it slightly later.
3. Add vanilla and salt.
Beat in the vanilla extract and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should smell amazing at this point—like a warm vanilla cloud.
4. Add flour gradually.
Turn the mixer to low and add the flour in 2–3 additions. Mix until just combined. The dough will look crumbly at first, then start to clump. You want everything fully moistened but not overmixed.
Cue check: When you pinch a bit of dough between your fingers, it should hold together without cracking apart.
5. Stir in the pecans.
Add the cooled, finely chopped pecans. You can fold them in with a spatula or mix on low just until the nuts are evenly dispersed. This is where your Mexican wedding cookies turn into proper nutty shortbread cookies.
6. Chill the dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes. This helps the butter firm up, which keeps the cookies from spreading and helps them hold that round snowball shape.
If your kitchen runs warm (hi from the South), don’t skip this step.
7. Preheat the oven and prepare your pans.
While the dough chills, heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) again if it cooled down. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This helps the bottoms brown gently and makes cleanup easy.
8. Roll the dough into balls.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough (a small cookie scoop works well) and roll it gently between your palms to form a smooth ball, about 1-inch in diameter. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1½ inches between cookies—they don’t spread a lot.
If the dough starts sticking to your hands, chill it again for 10–15 minutes.
9. Bake until set and lightly golden.
Bake the cookie balls for 12–15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops look set and dry. The cookies will still be pale on top—that’s what you want with these festive cookie recipe classics.
Tip: If your oven browns unevenly, rotate the pans halfway through baking.
10. Cool slightly, then roll in powdered sugar.
Let the snowball cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes—they’re fragile when very hot. Meanwhile, place 1 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm (not hot), roll each one in powdered sugar and place them on a cooling rack.
This first coat sticks better to warm cookies and helps create that signature snowball look.
11. Cool completely and roll again.
Once the cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar a second time. This gives you that thick, even snowy coating. You may need to add a bit more powdered sugar to the bowl if it gets clumpy.
12. Serve and enjoy.
Arrange your Mexican wedding cookies on a plate, in a tin, or on your holiday cookie tray. Try not to eat too many while “taste-testing”—they’re sneaky like that.
Servings, Prep Time & Total Time
- Yield: About 30–36 cookies (bite sized cookies, 1-inch balls)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus a few minutes to toast the nuts)
- Chill Time: 30–45 minutes
- Bake Time: 12–15 minutes per batch
- Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes (including chilling and baking)
These numbers are realistic for a relaxed pace—if you’ve made snowball cookies before, you might move a little faster. If you’re baking with kids, plan for some extra time and extra powdered sugar everywhere. It’s worth it.
Easy Variations and Flavor Twists
Once you’ve mastered the base Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe, it’s fun to play around. Here are some of my favorite spins:
- Cinnamon Sugar Snowballs: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dough and a pinch of cinnamon to the rolling sugar.
- Almond Wedding Cookies: Swap pecans for finely chopped almonds and use ½ teaspoon almond extract plus 1½ teaspoons vanilla.
- Chocolate Chip Snowballs: Stir in ½ cup mini chocolate chips with the nuts for a twist on traditional Mexican cookies.
- Lemon or Orange Snowballs: Add 1–2 teaspoons of citrus zest to the dough for a bright, fresh flavor.
- Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies: Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour and chill the dough a bit longer before baking.
- Spiced Holiday Cookie: Add ¼ teaspoon each of nutmeg and cardamom to turn them into a warmly spiced Christmas cookie recipe.
If you try one of these variations, jot down what you changed. Future-you will thank present-you next holiday season.
How to Store, Freeze & Make Ahead
These Mexican wedding cookies are built for planning ahead. I almost always bake them early in December and stash some for parties and family visits.
Room temperature storage
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Layer them with parchment paper so the powdered sugar coating stays neat.
- If the sugar absorbs a bit or looks patchy over time, you can re-roll them in a little fresh powdered sugar before serving.
Freezing baked cookies
- Place cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
- Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container, separating layers with parchment.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To serve, thaw at room temperature, then roll in powdered sugar again if they look dull.
Freezing cookie dough
- Roll the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Roll in powdered sugar as usual once baked.
This makes them a great make-ahead holiday cookie recipe—bake a batch now, bake a batch later, and you’re covered through New Year’s.
Recipe Notes From My Kitchen
After years of baking these snowball cookies for holidays, graduations, and a few actual weddings, here are the little lessons that made a big difference:
- Grind the nuts fairly fine. You want texture, but not huge chunks that make the cookies crumble apart. Think small bits, not nut flour. A few quick pulses in a food processor works well—just don’t overdo it.
- Watch your butter temperature. Very soft, “oily” butter makes the dough sticky and the cookies spread more. If the dough feels too soft to roll, a short chill fixes it.
- Weigh your flour if you can. Using 240 g of flour keeps things consistent. Too much flour leads to dry, crumbly cookies; too little can make them flat.
- Don’t overbake. These are pale cookies. If you wait for them to brown on top, they’ll be dry inside. Lightly golden bottoms and set tops are the sweet spot.
- Double rolling is worth the extra minute. That second coat of powdered sugar gives you the pretty, even finish that makes them look like tiny snowballs on a cookie tray.
- Let them rest overnight. The flavor actually deepens by the next day. If you’re bringing them to a party, bake them at least a few hours ahead.
And a personal note: I almost always set aside “the baker’s stash”—a small container of not-so-perfect cookies (maybe a bit flat, maybe a crack too big) for my husband and me. Imperfect cookies with perfect taste; that’s a fair trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Mexican wedding cookies the same as snowball cookies?
Yes. Mexican wedding cookies, snowball cookies, Russian tea cakes, and butterball cookies are all very similar styles of nutty shortbread cookies rolled in powdered sugar.
2. Can I use a different nut instead of pecans?
Absolutely. Walnuts, almonds, or even hazelnuts work well—just keep the amount the same and chop them finely.
3. My cookies crumbled when I rolled them. What went wrong?
They were probably too hot or the dough was a little dry. Let them cool a bit longer before rolling, and next time, make sure you’re measuring your flour lightly or by weight.
4. Why did my cookies spread and lose their round shape?
The dough might have been too warm, or the butter too soft. Chill the dough longer, and make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking.
5. Do I have to toast the nuts?
You don’t have to, but toasting adds a deeper, buttery pecan flavor. For something so simple, those little steps make the cookie taste like it came from a bakery instead of a busy home kitchen.
6. Can I make these Mexican wedding cookies without a mixer?
Yes. You can mix the dough by hand with a sturdy spoon or spatula, especially if your butter is nicely softened. It just takes a bit more arm power.
7. Are these cookies very sweet?
They’re actually on the milder side. The cookie itself is gently sweet and a bit buttery; most of the sweetness comes from the powdered sugar coating, which balances the nuts.
8. Can I ship these cookies for the holidays?
Yes, they ship well if packed snugly in a tin with parchment between layers. For long trips, I give them a light first coat of sugar before shipping and suggest rolling them again right before serving.
Final Thoughts on This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe
This Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs Recipe is one of those reliable, classic recipes I come back to year after year—simple ingredients, cozy flavor, and a pretty, snowy finish that makes every dessert table feel festive. Whether you’re filling a Christmas cookie platter, building a holiday cookie box, or just craving easy Mexican cookies with a cup of coffee, these little pecan cookie balls never disappoint.
If you bake them, I’d love to hear how they turned out—tell me which variation you tried, or if you made your own twist. And while you’re in cookie mode, this is a great time to explore more traditional Mexican cookies and classic Mexican desserts to round out your holiday baking list.
Mexican Wedding Cookies Snowballs
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour about 240 g; spoon and level for accurate measuring
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks / 226 g, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar about 60 g, sifted, for the dough
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans about 110 g, finely chopped and preferably toasted
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar about 120–180 g, sifted, for rolling and coating
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the finely chopped pecans on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast for 6–8 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before adding them to the dough.1 cup pecans
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and slightly paler in color.1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Beat in the vanilla extract and fine sea salt until evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- With the mixer on low, add the all-purpose flour in 2–3 additions, mixing just until combined. The dough will look crumbly at first, then start to clump together. When you pinch a bit between your fingers, it should hold together without cracking apart.2 cups all-purpose flour
- Add the cooled, finely chopped pecans to the bowl and fold them in with a spatula or mix on low just until evenly dispersed throughout the dough.1 cup pecans
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30–45 minutes, or until firm enough to roll easily. Chilling helps the cookies hold their round snowball shape and keeps them from spreading.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) if it has cooled. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure gentle browning on the bottoms.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough (a small cookie scoop works well) and roll it gently between your palms into a smooth ball about 1 inch in diameter. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing the balls about 1 1/2 inches apart. If the dough becomes too soft or sticky, return it to the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes.
- Bake the cookie balls at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops look set and dry but still pale. Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven browns unevenly.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes; they will be very fragile when just out of the oven. Place 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm (not hot), gently roll each one in the powdered sugar until coated, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll them a second time in fresh powdered sugar to create a thick, even snowy coating. Add more powdered sugar to the bowl as needed if it becomes clumpy.1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Arrange the finished Mexican wedding cookies on a platter, in a cookie tin, or on a holiday cookie tray. Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, layering with parchment paper. Re-roll lightly in powdered sugar before serving if the coating looks patchy.
