Danish Wedding Cookie Recipe

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. FORM – Scoop and roll dough into small balls. (Mine were half an ounce and about 1 1/8″ across.)
4. 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.
5. FIRST COAT – Let cookies cool on the pan for 4-5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar.
6. 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

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!