Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast them for about 7-8 minutes, until fragrant.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely. Finely chop the cooled pecans with a sharp knife. You can also pulse them briefly in a food processor, but don't process them too finely or turn them into nut butter.

Add the softened butter and icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and creamy.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. You can also make the dough using a handheld electric mixer.

Add the vanilla extract and mix for a few seconds until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again if necessary.

Add the flour, salt, and finely chopped pecans.

Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. Do not continue beating once everything is incorporated.

The finished dough should be soft and easy to shape without feeling sticky or excessively crumbly.

Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days if you want to prepare it in advance.

Chilling is important because it firms up the butter and helps prevent the cookies from spreading excessively while baking.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Scoop about 20g of dough per cookie (using a tablespoon) and gently roll it between your palms into a smooth ball.

Arrange the cookie dough balls approximately 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 15-17 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms or edges are lightly golden. Don't wait for the entire cookie to turn golden brown. Overbaking can reduce their delicate texture.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before coating them.

Sift the icing sugar into a small, shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm but cool enough to handle, gently roll each one in the icing sugar until coated.

Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Once completely cool, roll each cookie in powdered sugar again.

That second coating is worth doing. The first layer partially absorbs into the warm cookie, while the final coating creates the beautiful, snowy-white finish that gives snowball cookies their name.

Store completely cooled snowball cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Because the powdered sugar coating can rub off or become messy when cookies are stacked, place parchment paper between layers if necessary. If their snowy appearance fades during storage, you can give them another light coating of powdered sugar before serving.