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Melt in your mouth, sweet pecan goodness--these Cream Cheese Pecan Snowball Christmas Cookies are a fun twist to a traditional favorite. Only a few ingredients and no chilling required. These will be a new holiday family tradition!
I don't care what you call these cookies--we can all agree that these pecan filled, powdered sugar covered cookies are one of the best melt in your mouth treats of the holiday season. (Iced sugar cookies rank up there as well, but nothing else for me!)
Everything is better with cream cheese, am I right?
Why You Will Love These Pecan Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies:
- Simple to prep. These cream cheese pecan snowballs are a matter of breaking down the pecans, blending the ingredients, rolling and baking. A very no nonsense cookie recipe that are pretty fail proof as well!
- Less than 10 ingredients required. Any recipe that starts with only a handful of ingredients is always great. Less mess, less items you have to gather, and just easier all around!
- No chilling necessary. Sometimes, we just don't want to wait around for cookie dough as it stares at us from the fridge. These pecan cookies will not need to be chilled! You can make them ahead and chill, just bring to room temperature before baking.
- No eggs required--great for those who can't have eggs! I have an eggless chocolate chip cookie recipe and sugar cookie recipe that my friends with egg allergies are obsessed with. (hint: cream cheese is the secret ingredient). Having another cookie for those who can't have eggs on the cookie tray is another bonus!
- They aren't overly sweet. Even though these cream cheese filled holiday cookies are covered in powdered sugar, the sweetness is still on the mild side. The tang from the cream cheese and saltiness of the pecans help balance them out.
What are pecan snowball cookies?
The cookies are called so many things: Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Tea Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, etc. But while the name may change from person to person, the ingredients tend to stay very similar when it comes to these pecan Christmas cookie favorites:
- flour
- butter
- powdered sugar
- chopped nuts--often walnuts or pecans
- vanilla
You may see almond extract in some, but overall, these ingredients seem to stay the same.
I added some cream cheese to these snowball cookies with pecans for a flavor twist that adds a nice tang. You will love them!
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Start out by toasting the pecans if desired. Add them to a nonstick skillet at medium heat and toast, stirring occasionally for about 4-5 minutes or until they become fragrant. Just don't forget about them and burn them!
Once cooled, add them to a food processor with two tablespoons powdered sugar and process until broken down into very small pieces. You can have varying sizes, just make sure they are relatively small, smaller than chopped pecans.
From there, cream the softened butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. You can use a hand mixer or standing electric mixer. I like to cream until I can't really see any powdered sugar in the mixture.
Add the vanilla and beat to mix. Add in the flour and salt--you don't have to whisk these together in a separate bowl. Beat to fully incorporate.
Finally, stir in the pecans, or use the mixer and stir them in on low.
There is no need to chill the cookie dough. You can chill it if you need to until you are ready to bake them. If so, you can scoop or roll individual cookies and then chill. Allow the dough to sit out a few minutes before baking.
You can roll or scoop these cookies with a cookie scoop. I like the perfect shape the scoop makes, but the tops of the cookies are a bit less smooth when using a cookie scoop. Up to you--either will work just fine.
The cookies don't really spread so you can pile them onto the parchment lined cookie sheet--just leave about an inch between cookies for a little room.
Bake for about 14-17 minutes or until the bottoms start to become golden brown. The key is NOT to over bake!
The key to any pecan snowball cookie is when you add the powdered sugar. You want to toss them in powdered sugar at least two times.
The first time should be when the cookies are still warm. Allow them to cool about 5 minutes and then toss in powdered sugar to coat. That first coat is crucial for the powdered sugar to almost melt onto the cookie. Cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, toss once again in the powdered sugar to coat. I often do one more coat before placing on the cookie tray, but that is optional.
Recipe Ingredients:
- butter: I use unsalted, but salted will work too. Just half the amount of sea salt in the recipe. The butter should be softened to room temperature.
- cream cheese: To date, this recipe has only been tested with full fat cream cheese, however, I imagine a reduced fat cream cheese could work as well. The flavor just may not be as rich. You want to use the block form of cream cheese and also soften it to room temperature.
- powdered sugar: powdered sugar instead of regular sugar keeps the cookies from spreading while adding a touch of sweet. Did you know you can make your own powdered sugar if you happen to be out?
- vanilla: use extract instead of imitation vanilla for richer, bolder flavor. You can also add a touch of almond extract to add a new level of flavor (about ¼ teaspoon should be all you need.)
- flour: all purpose flour, measured by weight is strongly suggested. If not, spoon and level. Adding too much flour will really dry these cookies out.
- salt: sea salt is preferred, but table salt will work as well
- pecans: you want to start with raw pecans for the best pecan snowball cookie. I like to toast mine for a few minutes on the stove at medium heat until they become fragrant. Then cool them before breaking them down in the food processor. It's not a necessary step, but it makes these cookies even tastier for sure.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- You don't have to make your snowball cookies with pecans. They are my personal favorite. However, pecans are not cheap. You could use almonds or walnuts, or a combination of any of these three nuts instead.
- Baking these cream cheese pecan snowball cookies at lower heat for a bit longer keeps them from drying out. Keeping the heat lower when baking these cookies allows them to cook nice and even without drying out too fast. No one wants a dry cookies!
- For an even better pecan flavor, toast your pecans before adding them into the food processor. It's an added step, one I did not include into the actual recipe. But lightly toasting the pecans, stove top or in the oven, brings out a rich nutty flavor that nothing compares to.
- The hardest part about cookies of all kinds: you don't want to over bake these and you don't want to under bake them. With snowball cookies, you REALLY don't want to over bake them. Since there aren't any eggs, under baking isn't the worst thing. But too much makes for a dried out cookie. Keep a close eye on these and know they will bake a touch more before you move them off the pan.
- If you chill the cookie dough, roll it into balls first. Bring the dough to room temperature before baking for best results.
Make sure to check out this list of some amazing easy Christmas Cookies as well. Especially the Christmas Shortbread Cookies for another simple classic.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
These cream cheese snowball cookies will stay fresh in an air tight container for about 5 days. Adding a slice of white bread to your air tight container can help keep them at their softest.
To freeze, make sure the cookies are completely cooled and then freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
TO FREEZE THE COOKIE DOUGH:
Spoon and roll into balls. Line evenly on a plate or tray to allow the dough to flash freeze. After about 2 hours, transfer to a freezer safe sealed container. Store the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
Allow the dough to completely thaw before baking or bake frozen and add about 1-2 minutes at the most to baking time if baking frozen cookie dough.
Why do you use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar?
Using powdered sugar keeps the cookies from spreading out. When it comes to a snowball cookie, you want them to be round, not flat. And you definitely don't want them to spread at all.
While they won't spread, they will form into a nice rounded top with a flat bottom.
Other holiday cookie and treat recipes:
- PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- SMALL BATCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- GLUTEN FREE BLONDIES
- ROSEMARY ORANGE ALMOND COOKIES
- LEMON SUGAR COOKIES
- PUMPKIN SPICE MOLASSES COOKIES
- MOCHA CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- NUTELLA CRUMBLE BARS
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Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- In a food processor, pulse pecans and 2 T powdered sugar until broken down into very small pieces. (This will sweeten the pecans slightly).
- In a medium bowl, using a standing or hand mixer, cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar (½ cup), and butter until smooth and creamy. Add in vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Slowly add in flour and salt and beat until fully incorporated. Add in pecans and mix together on low speed or stir them in.
- Roll into balls (approx. 1 inch) or use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet with slight space in between. Bake for 14-17 minutes or until the edges/bottom just start to become lightly golden. Cool for several minutes and before fully cool, roll into powdered sugar. Once fully cooled, roll again (or maybe two more times!) in powdered sugar.
- Store in an airtight container!
Notes
- For an even better pecan flavor, toast your pecans before adding them into the food processor. It's an added step, one I did not include into the actual recipe. But lightly toasting the pecans, stove top or in the oven, brings out a rich nutty flavor that nothing compares to.
- The hardest part about cookies of all kinds: you don't want to over bake these and you don't want to under bake them. With snowball cookies, you REALLY don't want to over bake them. Since there aren't any eggs, under baking isn't the worst thing. But too much makes for a dried out cookie. Keep a close eye on these and know they will bake a touch more before you move them off the pan.
- If using a 1 ½ Tablespoon cookie scoop, you will get about 21 cookies.
Nutrition
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Kathy says
Because of the cream cheese, do the cookies have to be refrigerated?
Lorie says
Hi! These can actually be stored at room temperature in an air tight container since there is not a large amount of cream cheese as in cheesecakes. If you feel more comfortable storing in the fridge you certainly can!
Mary, n says
I Rememer these for the holidays
Linda says
Finally a snowball cookie that doesn't crumble when you bite into it! The cream cheese did the trick. And I agree, toasting the pecans truly amps up the flavor. I never thought to roll them in powdered sugar BEFORE baking them as well as after, but it worked so well I didn't have to "freshen" them up with more before serving. The powdered sugar coating was so thick, it stuck on there very well. QUESTION: will freezing them after baking compromise the flavor/texture? TIA
Lorie says
Yay! So happy you love these as much as we do. I have frozen them. They lose a little bit I think from freezing, but still taste good to me!!