Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 227 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
- 240 g powdered sugar
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 120 g pecans, ground
Coating
- 240 g powdered sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 79 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 7 mg
- Potassium
- 12 mg
- Calcium
- 3 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 3 mg
- Phosphorus
- 10 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 1 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).
In a mixing bowl, cream the cold butter chunks and 240g of powdered sugar until the mixture is well combined.
Add the flour, vanilla extract, and ground pecans to the bowl and stir until a cohesive dough forms.
Roll the dough into small balls using approximately one rounded teaspoon of dough for each.
Arrange the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 5cm (2 inches) of space between them.
Bake for 20 minutes until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
Move the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Place the remaining 240g of powdered sugar in a plastic bag, add cooled cookies in small batches, and shake gently to coat.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your butter is truly cold when creaming with the powdered sugar. This helps create the signature tender and crumbly texture of these cookies.
- Don't overmix the dough once the flour and nuts are added. Overworking can develop gluten, leading to tougher cookies.
- For a more intense pecan flavor, lightly toast the pecans before grinding them. Let them cool completely before incorporating into the dough.
- When rolling the balls, aim for consistent size for even baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before coating in powdered sugar. Warm cookies will absorb the sugar and become sticky rather than coated.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 6 months — Place wax paper between layers.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much during baking
Cause: The butter was too warm or soft before mixing.
Fix: Chill the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes before baking the next batch.
Prevention: Ensure butter is cold and cut into chunks as specified.
Cultural Context
Swedish Nut Balls, often referred to as 'Drömmar' (Dreams) or 'Pepparkaksbollar' in Sweden, are a beloved holiday and fika (coffee break) treat. Their simple, buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture make them a popular choice for festive occasions and everyday enjoyment.
