These soft, buttery pecan cookies come together with pantry staples and a warm hint of cinnamon and anise. They get a snowy powdered sugar coat right out of the oven, so every bite melts on your tongue.

The dough rolls into neat little rounds in minutes, which makes them a low-stress cookie for busy December days or a last-minute cookie swap.

What Makes These Cookies So Good

The shortbread texture crumbles just enough while staying tender, thanks to a high ratio of butter to flour.

A mix of vanilla and a touch of anise gives them that familiar holiday spice without overpowering the pecans. Rolling them in sugar while they’re still warm sets the coating so it sticks in all the little cracks.

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened: leave it out on the counter for an hour so it creams easily
1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar: plus an extra 1 cup or so for coating
2 teaspoons vanilla extract: use pure vanilla if you have it
1/2 teaspoon anise extract: that classic Mexican Christmas cookie flavor, but you can skip it for a plain pecan snowball
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped straight from the bag
1/4 teaspoon fine salt: brings the sweetness into focus
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: adds a cozy warmth to the dough and the sugar coating
1 cup (100g) finely chopped pecans: toast them first for a nuttier, deeper taste

Variations / Substitutions

Use walnuts instead of pecans: the flavor will be slightly more bitter and earthy, but they work beautifully with the same amount.
Skip the anise: the cookies become a classic snowball, still rich and buttery with the cinnamon and nuts.
Swap the cinnamon: sometimes I leave it out of the dough and only dust the cookies with powdered sugar mixed with a tiny pinch of ground cloves.
Add citrus: rubbing a little orange zest into the butter and sugar before creaming brightens the whole cookie without extra steps.

Soft and Spiced Gingerbread Man Cookies are next on our list if these cookies are your kind of dessert.

How to Make Spiced Pecan Mexican Christmas Cookies

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl once so everything blends evenly.

You’ll see the color lighten to a pale ivory and the texture will go from dense to soft and airy. This step traps tiny pockets of air that keep the cookies tender instead of dense.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

Turn the mixer to low and pour in the vanilla extract and anise extract. Beat just until combined. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low after each until no dry streaks remain. Finally, stir in the chopped pecans by hand so you don’t crush them too much.

The dough will look a little crumbly but should hold together easily when you press a handful into a ball. If it feels dry and won’t come together, knead it gently with your hands for a few seconds until it smooths out.

Step 3: Shape and Bake the Cookies

Move an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop level tablespoon portions of dough (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll them between your palms into smooth, even balls. Place them on the prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are just barely golden.

The tops will stay pale and look slightly underdone in the center, and that’s exactly right. They will firm up as they cool. Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes so they set enough to handle.

Step 4: Roll the Cookies in Sugar

While the first batch is still warm, pour about 1 cup of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. If you want a hint of cinnamon in the coating, whisk in an extra 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Gently roll each warm cookie in the sugar until it’s coated all over, then place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies cool to room temperature, give them a second roll in the sugar for that thick, snowy finish. The first coat melts slightly into the warm cookie and the second coat sits on top, so they look like little snowballs piled on the plate.

A Few Tips for the Best Cookies

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until you can smell them, then let them cool completely before chopping. That small step makes the flavor noticeably richer.
Measure the flour with a light hand. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than digging the cup into the bag, which packs in too much flour and makes the cookies dry.
A second sugar coat matters. The warm round soaks up the first layer like a glaze, and the second layer on cooled cookies gives you the classic powdered look that stays put.
If your kitchen is hot and the dough gets too soft while you’re rolling, pop the tray of shaped balls into the fridge for 10 minutes before baking so they hold their shape.
These cookies are forgiving to make ahead. Shape and freeze the raw balls on a sheet pan, then transfer them to a zip-top bag and bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two.

How to Store Mexican Christmas Cookies

Room temperature: keep the cookies in an airtight container with a sheet of parchment between layers so the sugar coating doesn’t get rubbed off. They stay fresh for up to a week.
Freeze: freeze the baked, fully coated cookies in a single layer inside a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the counter still covered so no condensation ruins the sugar.
Make ahead: bake the cookies a day early, skip the second sugar coat, and store them plain in a tin. Roll them in fresh powdered sugar the morning you plan to serve them.

What to Serve With Mexican Christmas Cookies

A steaming mug of Mexican hot chocolate makes the most natural partner, its cinnamon and vanilla echoing the cookie dough. For an afternoon treat, set them out with a strong café de olla, where the dark coffee and piloncillo sweetness balance the buttery shortbread. On a dessert plate, they look beautiful next to a small dish of cajeta for dipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these without the anise extract?

Yes, just leave it out. The cookies will taste like a classic pecan snowball with cinnamon and still have plenty of holiday spice from the vanilla and cinnamon alone.

Why did my cookies flatten into discs instead of staying round?

The butter was probably too warm when you shaped them or the dough needed a quick chill. Next time, refrigerate the shaped balls for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, and the cookies will keep their domed shape.

I don’t have a hand mixer. Can I make the dough by hand?

You can, though it takes a little more elbow grease. Use a wooden spoon to cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, then work the flour in by stirring and finally kneading lightly. The texture will be a touch less airy but still delicious.

Can I use salted butter?

Yes. If you do, skip the 1/4 teaspoon salt in the recipe so the cookies don’t come out too salty.