For the last day of my Four Healthy Holiday Cookies Series, I am sharing my absolute favorite holiday cookie with you. Now, to be honest, I don’t really know what these are called. Are they Snowballs? Are they Mexican Wedding Cookies? I can assure you that no one actually eats these cookies at weddings in Mexico, so I’m a bit confused if that’s the name for them. Regardless of what they are called, I can’t have a Christmas season without them.
A very good family friend of ours, Audrey, makes these cookies every year and gives us a batch to keep at our house. I try to hoard them as best as I can, but my dad has recently discovered how good they are and enjoys them with his morning coffee. I’m not sure what took him so long to figure this out. It’s probably for the best, because I would eat the whole container by myself if someone let me.
They are buttery, filled with small bits of toasted pecans, and covered in copious amounts of powdered sugar. Not exactly healthy.
I did my best to make them a bit healthier, while still keeping their traditional flavor. I swapped in whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose flour, and used almond flour as well. I also excluded any time consuming steps like sifting the flour. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Just one of these will be enough to satisfy your holiday cookie cravings each day.
If you only make one type of cookie this season, I urge you to make these. They are the only one I really need (which by no means it’s the only kind I make, but who can blame me?).
Stay tuned for a healthy holiday cookie roundup on Wednesday that will include some recipes from 24 Carrot Life, as well as others from some of my favorite bloggers!
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 12 minutes. Let cool.
- Put pecans, flours and salt in a food processor and process until pecans are finely chopped. Set aside.
- Cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a mixing bowl for about 4 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add the flour and pecan mixture to creamed butter and mix on low until dough is just combined. Place dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill. You do not need to chill more than this. Your dough will look kind of dry but that is okay
- Scoop out dough using a tablespoon and roll into a ball using the palm of one hand and two fingers of the other. Place balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet about ½ inch apart.
- Bake for about 18-25 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms turn golden brown and tops are very lightly brown.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Remove cookies and gently toss warm cookies in remaining 1 and ½ cups of powdered sugar.
- Transfer coated cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.
These look amazing Katie!!! Ain’t no substitute for butter…learned that this weekend when I tried to make shortbread with coconut oil. Not the same. Gave in and just ate all the butter haha. Tis the season!
My thoughts exactly! Sometimes you just gotta go with butter!
My favorite cookie! Adding these to my baking list!
Yay!
They are called “polvorones” here in México! (because it seems to be made by dust)
By the way, I love the healthy twist on your mexican recipes! 🙂 🙂
YES! Love polvorones. Thanks, Paulina!