Snowballs!

I'd like to introduce you to my family's favorite holiday cookies: Snowballs. They're rich, buttery, crispy and sweet and fun to eat.

(Snowballs shown on left).

Snowballs

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans (about 4 ounces)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Grease two large baking sheets. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and honey in a medium-size bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined and fluffy - 2 - 3 minutes. Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in vanilla; then beat in flour and pecans until combined.

Roll the dough by tablespoonful between your palms, into balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1" apart.

Bake the cookies just until they turn light golden brown - 12 - 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Put the powdered sugar into a large plastic food-storage bag. Add the cookies, 6 at a time, and gently shake the bag until they are coated with sugar.

Makes 24 one-inch cookies.

To serve, pile up on a tray.

Tip: Snowballs make great gifts! Wrap in cellophane bags for gift giving. For added cuteness and stability for gift giving, place cookie filled cellophane bags into vintage food containers (as shown above), jars, or colorful paper bags.

You can find this recipe and many more, as well as decorating ideas, projects, inspiration, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Sources:

The containers shown are vintage.

Cellophane bags: Target

Ribbons: Michaels

Sweatshirt: Boden

Images by John Granen

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Comments

[june deese]

yummmy...thanks for the sharing...

[Mona]

Just like Mom makes : ) I especially like them with a little maraschino cherry in the middle.
Love the packaging too Serena!!

[Rene Foust]

They sound wonderful!!! I love the snow picture

[Emily]

One of my favorite Christmas cookies to receive in a cookie exchange, but I've never made them. Thanks for the recipe! Beautiful photo!

[Kathy (Addie Grey)]

I Love these cookies! I always hope someone makes them for my cookie exchange. Maybe this year I should make my own! Thanks for the recipe!!

[Michelle Yeaton]

Can't wait to make them!! Yum!
Question ? The green plaid holder the cookies are in
is there a site to order or are they a vintage find??
Thanks!

[Tracy]

The cookies sound delicious!

[Sharon]

I made these last year and they flopped! Anybody else have this problem? I thought maybe it was the honey as that was what was different about these.

[Cindi]

I would love to get a gift like this..in one of those vintage containers!

[tasha]

serena, i love your snowballs! i've been making them every christmas for several years now when the recipe was posted on your old blog! i can't wait to make them again this year....mmmm!

here they are:
http://tashahorsley.typepad.com/alittlesweetness/2009/12/snow-no-.html

:)

[Serena]

Sharon, my best guess is that your butter was too warm.
I'm sad they didn't work out for you!
xoxo, Serena

[teresa]

thanks for the recipe- plan to use them at a cookie exchange party this week.
Happy day-
PS. How are have you been doing lately- recovering okay?

[Kimberly]

Mmm! We have two Japanese students coming for Christmas and if we don't have real snow, then we'll have to make these with them!

[Bethany]

Ditto! It isn't Christmas at our house without snowballs on the cookie tray!

[Serena]

Hi Teresa. :) I'm feeling like a million bucks! Thanks so much for asking. xoxo, Serena

[lucy workman]

have been making these for years...there called Mexican wedding cakes....

[Kim @ Homesteader's Heart]

Thanks for this recipe. My snowball recipe is a bit more dangerous......fat wise. LOL! I'm going to try this!
Hugs
Kim

[Betsy]

Can't wait to make these! Also where can I get the little
brush christmas trees for the mason jar snow globes? Can't
find them anywhere!

[Cindy Dubbers]

Love your little Christmas houses, very festive. I have a vintage garland tutorial and giveaway at crimsonheartstudios.blogspot.com It's made from scrap fabric, something we all have too much of. Thanks, Cindy

[Monica]

I make something very similar to this -- Usually it is the first thing I make each Christmas.

[Sarah Beth]

I just wanted to let you know that your Christmas book has been such inspiration! I love love it!!!

[kathy]

yep, those are out favorite too and we eat them way too fast and have to keep making more.