sand tart snowball cookies

Is the cold weather giving you the winter blues? Warm up with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of these delicious Sand Tart Snowball Cookies

Is the cold weather giving you the winter blues? Warm up with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of these delicious Sand Tart Snowball Cookies. A long time family favorite, you’ll love these not too sweet, two-bite bursts of cookie love.

Sand Tarts were always one of my Poppop’s favorite Christmas cookies. I’m pretty sure every Christmas cookie was his favorite, but he’s the one that would be most disappointed if these didn’t make an appearance on the annual Christmas cookie tray. Mommom always made them in the traditional crescent shape, but I gave them a winter makeover this year by turning them into snowballs. Their two-bite size is perfect for snacking and sharing alike.

Is the cold weather giving you the winter blues? Warm up with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of these delicious Sand Tart Snowball Cookies

As special as it was to share these cookies in our annual cookie box, I had no idea how special it would be to share the recipe on the blog. I posted a sneak peak on Instagram last night and a sweet friend let me know that her great grandmother made these for them as kids and how happy she was to see the recipe. It was no secret that knowing my grandparents were able to keep up with my adventures by reading my blog was a huge inspiration behind my work. I’d be lying if their passing didn’t leave me wondering ‘now what?’ But comments like this solidify that the next phase in this journey is to keep their recipes alive for generations to come.

Straight from my grandmother’s recipe box to you, these Sand Tart Snowball Cookies are sure to bring back memories of generations past. Make a batch to share with your family; they’re delightful paired with a mug of piping hot drinking chocolate.

sand tart snowball cookies
 
Yields: approximately 4 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans
  • powdered sugar for rolling
PREPARATION
  1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Mix in flour, water, vanilla and nuts until well combined.
  3. Chill for at least one hour.
  4. Roll into one-inch balls and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool just enough to handle then roll in powdered sugar.
  5. Place on cooling rack to cool completely before packaging in an airtight container.

Is the cold weather giving you the winter blues? Warm up with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of these delicious Sand Tart Snowball Cookies