Cinnamon Pecan Snowball Cookies

Today is my 9th blogiversary! True to form I told myself to plan something in advance to celebrate this day but put it off. Now the day is here and I don’t have anything planned beyond participating in sharing a weeks worth of #ChritmasCookies with over 20 other bloggers! Pretty fair trade off if you ask me. I don’t mind sharing my festivities with others.

I’ll be honest, this year has been a real struggle for me blog-wise. Every year I think I couldn’t possibly be busier than I am now but I somehow find a way. I’m amazed that I manage to keep up with all these themed events I willingly sign up for but they have been the only thing keeping me motivated and inspired. So what better way to celebrate than with such an event, especially since it’s COOKIES! If only we could do this Christmas cookie party in person.

This was my first time making pecan snowball cookies. Also known as pecan balls, or Russian tea cakes, or Mexican wedding cookies. How this cookies has so many names, especially including different countries, is beyond me but no matter the name they are delicious. I added cinnamon to mine because the pecans were asking for a little spice in their life. Check out the list of even more cookies at the end of this post along with a giveaway! I told you it was a celebration ;-).

One year ago: 8 Go-To Recipes for the 8th Year Blogiversary

Two years ago: Buckeye Cheesecake Cake

Three years ago: Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

Four years ago: Five Year Blogiversary and Reader Survey

Five years ago: Greek Yogurt Thumbprint Cookies & 4th Blogiversary

Six years ago: The Bee’s Knees Peanut Butter Pie & Blogiversary

Seven years ago: Funfetti Cheesecake White Chocolate Brownies & Blogiversary

Eight years ago: Funfetti Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes

Nine years ago: And so it begins

CINNAMON PECAN SNOWBALL COOKIES

Makes approximately 3 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups Millican pecans

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp Adams ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1-1/2 tsp Adams vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or silicone baking mat) and set aside.
2. Place 1 cup pecans in a food processor and process until it resembles coarse cornmeal, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Place the remaining pecans in the food processor and process until coarsely chopped, about 15 seconds. Add to the bowl with the ground pecans. Stir the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
4. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the nut mixture, mixing until combined, about 30 seconds.
5. Roll a tablespoon of dough into balls, and place 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 18 minutes or until the bottoms are beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
7. Pour powdered sugar in a small bowl and roll the cooled cookies in the sugar until the are well coated. Before serving, reroll cookies in sugar and gently shake off the excess sugar.

Source: Adapted slightly from Two Peas & Their Pod.

Thank you to Ellen of Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting #ChristmasCookies Week! And a huge thank you to our sponsors Adams Extract and Millican Pecan for supporting the bloggers and events like Christmas Cookies Week.

Check out today’s cookie recipes:

Brown Sugar Christmas Cookies by Intelligent Domestications
Browned Butter Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting by Daily Dish Recipes
Chewy Hazelnut Oatmeal Cookies by Food Above Gold
Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti by Sweet Beginnings
Cinnamon Pecan Snowball Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
Cream Cheese Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Dark Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Eggnog Crackle Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
French Toast Snickerdoodles by Love and Confections
Gluten Free Hungarian Rugelach by Frugal & Fit
Iced Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies by Family Around the Table
Iced Molasses Cookies by Palatable Pastime
Kipplens AKA: Pecan Snow Balls by Hardly A Goddess
Lemon Sponge Tassies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Oatmeal Pecan Cookies by Creative Southern Home
Pecan Sandies by Everyday Eileen
Peppermint Madeleines by Books n’ Cooks
Pumpkin Spice Latte Biscotti by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
Raspberry Shortbread Cookies by Blogghetti
Salted Chocolate Pecan Cookies by Cookaholic Wife
Speculoos (Belgian Spice Cookies) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies by Red Cottage Chronicles

Prize 1 – Millican Pecan Tower of Treats Gift Tins

Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800’s, Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba, TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is an 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An $80 value.

Prize 2 – Adams Extract Prize Pack

Adams traces its beginnings back to Battle Creek, Michigan, when John A. Adams began making and selling his Green Plant Sarsaparilla extract, Adamur, in 1888. In 1905, he moved his family to Beeville, TX. At the time, most vanilla sold to pharmacies and was often labeled “Do not bake or freeze.” John A. Adams’ wife yearned for a flavoring that wouldn’t bake or freeze out. He announced that he could produce a better vanilla than the one his wife was currently using. Working with just $6.71 worth of materials on top of an old icebox, John A. Adams discovered the formula he wanted. To test this product, his wife whipped up a cake for the family to try. “John, this is the BEST flavoring I have ever used,” she announced. “Well, that’s old man Adams BEST,” he responded.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two (2) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #ChristmasCookies bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway and contest is open only to US residents. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookies posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Millican Pecan Company, and Adams Extracts and Flavorings for providing prizes.