Description
The softest holiday cookie tray starts with these Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies, a buttery easy recipe made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and finely chopped pecans. These tender snowball cookies are perfect dessert ideas for Christmas baking, quick sweet treats, cookie swaps, party food ideas, and cozy homemade dessert recipes when you want something simple, pretty, and delicious.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter softened
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
1. Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then mix until light and fully combined.
3. Add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
4. Fold in the finely chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
5. Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Scoop 1 tablespoon portions of dough and roll them into balls.
8. Arrange the dough balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set.
10. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar.
11. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
12. Roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar again before serving.
Notes
Use softened butter and cream cheese, not melted, so the dough stays creamy and easy to shape.
Chill the dough before baking to help the cookies stay round instead of spreading.
Roll the cookies twice in powdered sugar: once while warm and once after cooling for the prettiest snowy finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 42mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
Keywords: cream cheese snowball cookies, snowball cookies, powdered sugar cookies, Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, easy dessert recipe, cookie swap cookies, cream cheese cookies