Snowball Cookies Aka Mexican Wedding Cookies

24 cookies
17 min

Snowball Cookies are bite sized cookies filled with pecans or walnuts and are covered with powdered sugar making them irresistible and addictive at the same time. They are the perfect holiday treat or cookie swap gift. Make a dozen, wrap them up in cellophane, tie with a bow and you’ve got the perfect little gift to give!

A few years ago we had a friend from high school and his wife over for dinner and they brought these cookies that I just absolutely loved. She told me that they were called Mexican Wedding cookies but unfortunately I never got the recipe. So all of these years later I had a craving for them so I got busy searching Pinterest for the recipe. I’ve come to find out that they are called Mexican Wedding cookies or cakes, Tea Cakes and Snowball Cookies. There are also a few different ways to make them. Some recipes call for walnuts while some call for pecans. I made two batches, one with walnuts and one with pecans…and I have to say, I prefer the pecans!

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Funny enough, after 11 years of marriage (and over half of my life spent with him) I never knew my husband liked these! So funny how you keep learning things, even if they are silly, so many years later! Guess these cookies will be added to our Christmas cookie recipe book!

They disappeared as soon as they were powdered!

Let me show you how I made them!

Here’s the recipe, enjoy!


Snowball Cookies aka Mexican Wedding Cookies

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 1 hour 12 mins

Serves: 5 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly
  • 5 tbs granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, for dusting cookies twice


Instructions

  1. Using an electric mixer mix butter and sugar
  2. Add vanilla and salt
  3. Slowly add flour **visit gatheredinthekitchen.com for tips on incorporating the flour
  4. Once flour is incorporated, add nuts
  5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes
  6. Remove from refrigerator and roll into 1" balls. Place on baking sheet
  7. Bake for 8-12 minutes at 350
  8. Immediately once cookies are cool enough to handle, but still very warm, carefully toss them in a bowl of confectioners sugar.
  9. Side aside on a cooling rack and let cool completely
  10. Once the cookies are completely cooled, carefully toss them again in the confectioners sugar.
  11. **Note: When cookies are still hot/warm they will be very likely to break apart. Be extra careful while handling them.


Snowball Cookies are also really durable and great for packaging! Pack them up in a cute cellophane bag, some cute ribbon and an ornament and give them as gifts to your friends and neighbors!

Wishing you all a happy baking season and …


Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

· In: Dessert, Featured Article, Holidays, Recipes

Snowball Cookies Aka Mexican Wedding Cookies
Recipe details
  • 24  cookies
  • Prep time: 5 Minutes Cook time: 12 Minutes Total time: 17 min
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly
  • 5 tbs granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, for dusting cookies twice
Instructions

Using an electric mixer mix butter and sugar
Add vanilla and salt
Slowly add flour
Once flour is incorporated, add nuts
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes
Remove from refrigerator and roll into 1" balls. Place on baking sheet
Bake for 8-12 minutes at 350
Immediately once cookies are cool enough to handle, but still very warm, carefully toss them in a bowl of confectioners sugar.
Side aside on a cooling rack and let cool completely
Once the cookies are completely cooled, carefully toss them again in the confectioners sugar.
**Note: When cookies are still hot/warm they will be very likely to break apart. Be extra careful while handling them.
Gathered In The Kitchen
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Comments
  • Joanne Joanne on Dec 11, 2021

    looks like you missed one step. After you mix the dough you put it in the fridge and then bake it. Don’t you roll it into balls before baking?

    • See 4 previous
    • Pau50638081 Pau50638081 on Jan 02, 2022

      It’s listed… step 6

  • Sandy Koonce-Conoway Sandy Koonce-Conoway on Dec 27, 2021

    ive made these cookies for yrs but i added a cherry in the middle. Make sure your cherries drained well ,and dried .

    • See 1 previous
    • Sandy Koonce-Conoway Sandy Koonce-Conoway on Jan 02, 2022

      I flatened a piece of dough bigger than the size of a quater, put the cherrie in the middle and rolled them up. Added more dough to cover. Its alittle bit of work but so tasty. sorry i didnt read all the way threw the recipe.

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