Pecan Snowballs | Swanky Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my snowball cookies stay round? ›

Chilling your cookie dough thoroughly, at least an hour, should help. The rest in the chill chest helps that butter firm up. That, in turn, helps the cookies hold their shape.

Why did my snowball cookies flatten? The cookies will flatten slightly when baked, but they shouldn't flatten completely. If you skipped the chilling time, this may be why they spread. Another reason is if you place the dough on a hot baking sheet; if you have to reuse baking sheets, let them cool first.

Roll each ball in the roasted pecan halves until well coated on all sides and place the balls on the parchment lined baking sheet. When all the balls are created, place them in the freezer and freeze several hours, until hard.

Snowball cookies will last up to 3 days at room temperature, in a sealed container, or up to 2 weeks if stored in the refrigerator.

Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze! If you plan to store it for only a few hours or days, there's no need to overwrap the baking sheet; for longer storage, wrap the entire baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.

If you reduce the amount of butter or oil in a recipe, your cookies won't spread as much. If you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread as much. If your cookies have more brown sugar than white sugar, they won't spread as much.

The Fix: Adjust the Temperature

An immediate fix is to lower your oven by a few degrees and extend the baking time. In the long-term, consider buying an oven thermometer and leaving it in your oven so you know your oven's exact temperature.

Answer: Keeping your pecans in a tightly sealed bag in a freezer is the optimal way to store pecans. However, refrigerating your pecans will also extend their shelf life. Shelled pecans can be thawed and refrozen repeatedly without any significant loss or damage.

When protected by their natural shells, pecans generally last longer. Around room temperature, in-shell pecans can last for up to 4 months. At chillier temperatures, they can last for much longer. Frozen, in-shell pecans can remain good for several years.

You can freeze filled cookies, such as thumbprint cookies and cookies that are coated in powdered sugar, such as Mexican wedding cookies either after they are baked or freeze the cookie dough. If you're freezing the baked cookies, wait to fill them or roll in powdered sugar until you're ready to serve.

Do snowballs go bad? ›

They have a 21-day shelf life. If you stick them in the freezer, they'll keep even longer.

The crème filling was added in 1950. A little later the pink coloring was added to the shredded coconut in one of the two cakes in each package, but eventually the company decided that it was more efficient to have both cakes the same color, and they decided to color both cakes in each package pink.

Fill both your cupped hands with snow. Start bringing your hands together while rotating them to pack the snow. Each time you bring your hands together, apply more and more pressure. If you start off with too much pressure, the snowball will just fall apart.

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

Too much flour causes the dough to become dry and crumbly, which prevents it from flattening out during baking. As a result, your cookies will stay in their original shape instead of spreading out into nice circles.

Chef Smith says that Christmas cookies often spread if you don't cook them at the right temperature. This can be especially tricky with an older appliance. As an oven ages, the temperature may be less accurate. Smith recommends purchasing an oven thermometer to make sure you are baking at the correct temperature.

One of the most common reasons why cookies didn't spread out in the oven is because you added too much flour. Cookies rely on the perfect ratio of butter to flour in order to spread just the right amount when baked. It's very easy to over measure flour when using cup measurements.