Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. It’s important to have a non-stick surface, so your cookies don’t stick.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. The fluffy texture is key to achieving the melt-in-your-mouth quality.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Gradually mix in the flour and salt, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Fold in the finely chopped pecans gently. You want the pecans evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Keep an eye on them towards the end to avoid overbaking.
- After removing them from the oven, let them cool for about 5 minutes. While they’re still warm, roll each ball in powdered sugar until they’re fully coated.
- Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, give them a second coat of powdered sugar for extra sweetness.
Notes
- Chill the dough: If the dough seems too soft to handle, refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes before rolling into balls. This helps the cookies hold their shape better during baking.
- Double-coating in powdered sugar: Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar twice gives them an extra sweet coating that complements the pecans beautifully.
- Experiment with flavors: For a fun twist, add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough. This brings a warm, spiced flavor that’s perfect for the holiday season.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cookie dough balls before baking. When ready to bake, simply pop them in the oven straight from the freezer, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Pecan cookie balls, Easy pecan dessert, Bite-sized pecan treats, Holiday pecan recipes