Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
- Powdered sugar, for rolling and dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners for even baking and easy removal.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar. Aim for about 2–3 minutes: you’re looking for a pale, airy mixture that holds soft peaks when the beaters lift.
With the mixer on low, incorporate the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl as needed so all the butter blends uniformly with these flavorings.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar base, mixing on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can develop gluten and yield tougher cookies, so pause as soon as the dough comes together.
Gently fold the cooled, chopped pecans into the dough by hand. Aim for an even distribution without flattening the dough’s light texture.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into smooth balls between your palms. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart to allow gentle spreading.
Slide one sheet into the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn a light golden color. The centers should remain pale—this ensures the cookies stay tender.
Immediately after removing a batch from the oven, allow the cookies to rest on the hot sheet for 2 minutes. Then, using a metal spatula, transfer them directly into a shallow bowl of powdered sugar. Roll each cookie to coat completely, shaking off any excess sugar, and set on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Once cooled to room temperature, roll each cookie in powdered sugar a second time. This extra dusting creates that signature “snowball” look and adds a whisper-light sweetness.