Toasting the pecans makes this the best-ever Danish Wedding Cookie Recipe! You only need six simple ingredients to make them, and they come together in a snap.
These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies studded with pecans and rolled 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 have also seen them called Russian tea cakes and Mexican wedding cookies.
No matter what you call them, these nutty cookies are a must make for the holiday season. They are a classic cookie recipe that every home baker should have on hand.
DANISH WEDDING COOKIE RECIPE
- PREP – Let your butter soften on the counter for a few hours. Toast the pecans by placing them on a cookie sheet and baking 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.
- DOUGH – In a large bowl, combine one cup butter and the powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and chopped pecans. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- FORM – Scoop and roll dough into small balls. (Mine were half an ounce and about 1 1/8″ across.)
- BAKE – Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cookies do not brown.
- FIRST COAT – Let cookies cool on the pan for 4-5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar.
- SECOND COAT – Place cookies on a wire rack and let cool completely. Re-roll in the remaining powdered sugar.
STORING COOKIES
These cookies store well at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container. If you live in a humid climate, place a paper towel in the bottom of the container.
You can also freeze the cookies. I like to use heavy duty zip-top bags, but you can also use a freezer-safe container.
They will last for 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, grate it into the mixing bowl.
- If you happen to use unsalted butter, add an extra 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 out-of-this-world flavor!
- Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar twice is the second secret to making the best Danish cookies. The first time, the warm cookies melt the sugar slightly, making a sweet crust. The second time gives you the fluffy powdered sugar coating that we all love biting into!
VARIATIONS:
- I like chunks of 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 bit of ground cinnamon added to either the dough or the powdered sugar coating is a tasty twist!
- Although it isn’t traditional, you can use mini chocolate chips in place of or in addition to the pecans.
MORE DELICIOUS COOKIES:
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Andes Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies Recipe
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Italian Christmas Cookies
- Raspberry Ribbon Cookies
- Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Danish Wedding Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- ¾ 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 the powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and pecan pieces. Stir until well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. Shape dough into small balls by rolling in the palms of your hands. (Mine were about 1 1/8" across.)
- Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cookies do not need to brown.
- Let cookies cool on the pan for 4-5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely. Re-roll in the remaining powdered sugar.
Nutrition
These homemade danish wedding cookies are a hit any time you serve them. It’s hard to resist their melt in your mouth texture, crunchy pecans, and fluffy powdered sugar coating!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Just enter your email and get it sent right to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
Leave a Reply