Welcome to the enchanting world of holiday baking, where classic recipes meet delightful innovations. Today, we’re putting a spectacular twist on a beloved festive treat: the classic snowball cookie. Imagine the sweet, buttery goodness of traditional Pecan Snowballs, transformed into an even more irresistible delight with the unexpected crunch and rich flavor of toffee bits. These aren’t just any Noel Nut Balls; these are **Toffee Snowball Cookies**, a truly exceptional variation of the ever-popular **Mexican Wedding Cookies with Toffee** that promises to be the star of your holiday dessert table.
Often known by charming names like Russian Teacakes or Butterballs, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are cherished for their delicate texture and snowy coating of powdered sugar. By introducing finely chopped toffee, we elevate these festive favorites, adding a delightful chewiness and a layer of buttery, caramelized sweetness that perfectly complements the nutty base. If you’re searching for a new Christmas cookie recipe that’s both familiar and exciting, your quest ends here. Get ready to bake a batch of these extraordinary cookies that will have everyone asking for the recipe!
Why You Must Make These Toffee Snowball Cookies
These **Toffee Noel Nut Balls** are more than just a cookie; they’re an experience. They take the comforting familiarity of a traditional holiday cookie and infuse it with an exciting new dimension of flavor and texture. If you’ve loved classic snowball cookies, prepare to fall in love all over again, but deeper this time.
- **An Irresistible Toffee Twist:** The inclusion of crunchy toffee bits transforms a beloved classic into something truly extraordinary. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of buttery cookie, toasted nuts, and a delightful caramel-like sweetness from the toffee. It’s a texture and flavor explosion that pushes these cookies “over the top,” making them utterly addictive.
- **Shake Up Your Holiday Baking:** While traditional recipes hold a special place, the holiday season is also a wonderful time to experiment and create new traditions. These **Mexican Wedding Cookies with Toffee** offer a refreshing deviation from your usual cookie lineup, providing a unique treat that stands out without being overly complicated to prepare. They bring a touch of gourmet flair to your festive spread.
- **A Dream Come True for Toffee Lovers:** If you’re a fan of the rich, buttery, and slightly bittersweet notes of toffee, then these cookies are specifically crafted for you. The toffee isn’t just an afterthought; it’s an integral part of the cookie’s charm, weaving its magic into every crumb. Paired with the delicate texture of a snowball cookie, it’s a match made in dessert heaven.
This little addition makes a world of difference. I once baked a batch for a cookie exchange, and I’ll admit, I seriously considered keeping them all to myself! My regular readers know that any nut-filled cookie in my kitchen often gets overlooked by everyone except the baker (my husband, despite having no genuine nut allergies, often claims one due to personal preference!). But these **Toffee Snowball Cookies** are so compelling, even the most discerning palates find them impossible to resist. They have a universal appeal that transcends personal preferences, making them perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply savoring every last crumb.
Expert Tips for Perfect Toffee Nut Balls
Creating the perfect batch of **Toffee Mexican Wedding Cookies** is an art, but with these expert tips, you’ll achieve bakery-quality results every time. Follow these guidelines to ensure your **Noel Nut Balls** are tender, flavorful, and beautifully coated.
- **Prepare Your Baking Sheets:** Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This simple step is a game-changer. It prevents sticking, ensures even baking, and makes cleanup incredibly easy. No more scrubbing burnt bits off your pans! You can also use silicone baking mats for similar benefits.
- **Mastering the Dough Consistency:** To achieve that classic melt-in-your-mouth texture, start by creaming your butter until it’s light and fluffy. This incorporates air, which is crucial for a tender cookie. Then, gradually add the other wet and dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. The pecans and toffee bits should be folded in last to ensure they are evenly distributed without overworking the dough. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, so mix until barely combined after adding the flour.
- **Finely Chop Your Mix-ins:** For the best texture and to prevent your cookies from crumbling, ensure your pecans and toffee are chopped quite finely. Aim for pieces no larger than a mini chocolate chip. Larger pieces can make the cookies difficult to form and can affect their delicate structure. A food processor can be very helpful here, but be careful not to over-process them into a powder.
- **PRO-Tip: Choose Quality Toffee:** While pre-packaged toffee chips are convenient, for superior flavor and texture, I highly recommend chopping up some good quality Heath bars (or similar chocolate-covered toffee bars). The chocolate adds another layer of richness, and the toffee tends to be more distinct and less prone to melting completely into the dough, giving you a better crunch.
- **Uniform Cookie Size:** The size and shape of your **Noel Nut Balls** are entirely up to your preference. I typically make tablespoon-sized rounds, which bake evenly and are perfectly bite-sized. Smaller cookies also work wonderfully for a daintier presentation. And remember, the crescent shape is another traditional option for these types of cookies, offering an elegant alternative to balls. Consistency in size is key for uniform baking.
- **Bake to Perfection:** These cookies bake relatively quickly. Keep a close eye on them and remove them from the oven as soon as they are lightly browned, particularly on the bottom. Overbaking can make them dry and crumbly, losing their signature tender texture.
- **The Powdered Sugar Roll:** This is a crucial step for the “snowball” effect. Roll your **Mexican Wedding Cookies with Toffee** in powdered sugar while they are still warm. The warmth helps the powdered sugar adhere beautifully, creating that iconic snowy coating. For an extra generous and lasting “snowfall,” I like to give them a second roll in powdered sugar once they have completely cooled. This ensures a thick, picturesque coating that truly embodies the holiday spirit.
- **PRO-Tip: Egg-Free Delight:** It’s worth noting that these **Toffee Noel Nut Balls** are traditionally made without eggs. This makes them a fantastic option if you or your guests have egg allergies, which are surprisingly more common than nut or peanut allergies. Everyone can enjoy these delightful treats!
Frequently Asked Questions About Toffee Snowball Cookies
“Nut balls,” or “nutballs,” are a beloved confection known by a delightful array of names, including **Snowball Cookies**, **Mexican Wedding Cookies**, **Russian Teacakes**, **Mexican Teacakes**, **Russian Wedding Cookies**, and **Butterballs**. These exquisite, melt-in-your-mouth cookies gained widespread popularity in the 1950s and have remained a holiday staple ever since. Their signature texture is tender and crumbly, often enriched with finely chopped nuts, and they are always generously rolled in powdered sugar, giving them a charming “snow” coating. This snowy appearance makes them especially popular for the holidays, but their deliciousness ensures they are enjoyed all year long. Our **Toffee Snowball Cookies** add a delicious twist to this classic. When shaped into crescents instead of balls, they are also lovingly referred to as **Pecan Crescents** or Walnut Crescents, depending on the nut used.
While pecans are my personal preference for their rich, buttery flavor and delicate crunch, these versatile cookies can be made with various nuts. Walnuts are another excellent choice, offering a slightly more robust, earthy flavor that complements the sweetness of the cookie beautifully. Almonds can also be used, providing a subtler, sweeter nuttiness. For an enhanced flavor, you can lightly toast your chosen nuts before chopping and adding them to the dough. This simple step deepens their aroma and brings out their natural oils, contributing to an even more flavorful cookie. Just ensure they are cooled completely before mixing into the butter to prevent the butter from melting prematurely.
The fascinating history behind the various names of these cookies is largely attributed to geopolitical events. Food historians suggest that the strained relationship between the United States and Russia during the Cold War, which commenced in the late 1940s, led to a cultural rebranding. The name “Russian Tea Cakes,” previously common, became less socially acceptable, prompting a shift to more neutral or celebratory names. Thus, the same beloved cookie recipe transitioned to be widely known as **Mexican Wedding Cookies**. The name “snowballs” is quite self-explanatory, referring to their heavy dusting of white powdered sugar, which evokes images of freshly fallen snow. The sheer number of alternative names, including Swedish Tea Cakes or Italian Wedding Cookies in some regions, highlights the cookie’s global appeal and adaptability, making its lineage somewhat confusing but undeniably delicious!
Like most butter-based cookies, these **Mexican Wedding Cookies with Toffee** maintain their delightful freshness very well. When stored at room temperature in an airtight container, they will remain delicious for approximately 3-4 days. To extend their shelf life significantly, these cookies freeze beautifully. Once completely cooled, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash freeze for about 30 minutes, then transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or airtight container, removing as much air as possible. They can be frozen for up to 3 months, though I’ve found them to be perfectly enjoyable even after a bit longer. Thaw them at room temperature, and if desired, give them a fresh dusting of powdered sugar before serving to restore their snowy appearance.
You May Also Like These Holiday Cookie Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed baking these **Toffee Snowball Cookies**, you’ll surely love exploring other festive treats from my collection and beyond. Here are a few more delightful cookie recipes perfect for any holiday celebration or simply to satisfy your sweet cravings:
- Candy Cane Cookies from Saving Room for Dessert: A classic that brings a festive flair to your cookie plate with its vibrant colors and minty flavor.
- Italian Ricotta Cookies: Incredibly soft, moist, and tender, these cookies are a timeless favorite, often topped with a delicate glaze.
- Holiday Pinwheel Cookies: Visually stunning and deliciously buttery, these swirl cookies are a joy to bake and a delight to eat, perfect for any festive occasion.
- Stained Glass Cookies: A magical cookie that features a “window” of melted hard candy, creating a beautiful stained-glass effect, ideal for hanging on the tree or as edible decorations.
- Plus, explore more of my Best Holiday Recipes for endless inspiration and delicious treats throughout the season!
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Print Recipe
Toffee Noel Nut Balls Recipe
20 minutes
20 minutes
40 minutes
36 cookies
Toffee Noel Nut Balls (Mexican wedding cookies) made extraordinary by adding chopped Heath bars to the batter. A new twist on a classic holiday recipe.
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 36 reviews
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 5 Heath bars (or about 6 ounces) finely chopped (to about half the size of a standard chocolate chip)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF.
- Line baking pans with parchment and set aside.
- Cream butter, then add sugar, vanilla, and water. Mix again.
- Stir flour and salt into the mixture.
- Add pecans and toffee bits and mix thoroughly.
- Form tablespoon-sized scoops of dough into balls.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or till lightly browned.
- Roll in powdered sugar while warm.
Notes
Sift powdered sugar if you find it has a lot of little lumps for a smoother coating.
Adapted from my friend, Cyn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36
Serving Size:
1 cookie
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 159Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 75mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
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