Toasting the pecans makes them the best ever. Danish Wedding Cookie Recipe! You only need six simple ingredients to make them, and they come together in no time.
These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies studded with pecans and coated in powdered sugar are perfect for special occasions, bridal showers, or even cookie exchanges. People love them!
I grew up making these little cookies with my mom. We called them Snowball Cookies, but I’ve also called them Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies.
No matter what you call them, these nutty cookies are a must for the holiday season. This is a classic cookie recipe that every home baker should have on hand.
Danish Wedding Cookie Recipe
- Ready – Let your butter soften on the counter for a few hours. Place the pecans on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and finely chop them in a food processor or nut chopper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Flour – In a large bowl, combine one cup of butter and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and chopped pecans. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Form – Scoop the dough and roll into small balls. (Mine was half an ounce and about 1 1/8″ across.)
- to cook – Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cookies don’t brown.
- First coat – Let cookies cool on pan for 4-5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar.
- Second coat – Place the cookies on a wire rack and let cool completely. Roll again in the remaining powdered sugar.
Storing cookies
These cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you live in a humid climate, place a paper towel under the container.
You can also freeze cookies. I like to use a heavy-duty zip-top bag, but you can also use a freezer-safe container.
They will last 3-4 months in the freezer. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Danish Wedding Cookie Pro Tips:
- If you need to soften your butter quickly, grind it in a mixing bowl.
- If you use unsalted butter, add an additional 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough.
- I recommend using a cookie scoop so your cookies are uniform in size and bake evenly.
- Make sure you toast your pecans for an out-of-this-world flavor!
- Rolling the cookies twice in powdered sugar is another secret to making perfect Danish cookies. For the first time, warm cookies melt the sugar slightly to create a sweet crust. Other times give you the powdered sugar coating we all love to bite into!
Variations:
- I like nuts in my cookies, so I finely chopped the pecans. You can use ground pecans instead.
- Replace half of the vanilla with almond extract.
- A little ground cinnamon in the batter or in the powdered sugar coating is a delicious twist!
- Although it’s not traditional, you can use mini chocolate chips in place of or in addition to the pecans.
More delicious cookies:
Yield: 45-48 cookies
Danish Wedding Cookie Recipe
These nutty little shortbread cookies are coated with powdered sugar and melt in your mouth. So cute on a holiday cookie plate!
Preparation time
15 minutes
Cooking time
12 minutes
over time
5 minutes
Full time
32 minutes
Ingredients
-
1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
-
1/2 cup powdered sugar
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
-
3/4 cup powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Toast Pecans – Place them on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and finely chop them in a food processor or nut chopper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and pecan pieces. Stir until well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to divide the batter. Form the dough into small balls by rolling it in the palms of your hands. (Mine was about 1 1/8″ across.)
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. The cookies do not need to be browned.
- Let cookies cool on pan for 4-5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely. Roll again in the remaining powdered sugar.
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Nutritional Information:
Production:
45
Serving Size:
1
Amount per serving:
Calories: 87Total Fat: 6 gramsSaturated Fat: 3 gTrans fats: 0 gramsUnsaturated fats: 3 gCholesterol: 11 mgSodium: 46 mgCarbohydrates: 8 gramsFiber: 0 gramsSugar: 3 gProtein: 1 gram
These homemade Danish wedding cookies are a hit every time you serve them. Their melt in your mouth texture, crunchy pecans, and fluffy powdered sugar coating are hard to resist!