These easy 4-ingredient Pecan Balls (5 for a chocolate version) make a great game day snack, appetizer or anytime treat!
Happy September! It’s Kathryn from Family Food on the Table, back with another recipe for you.
And today I’ve got a fun game day/snack time/anytime appetizer for you.
This recipe comes from my Aunt Edith, who also is behind my 3-ingredient quickie crab dip (another great appetizer!)
It’s a traditional pecan balls recipe, with just 4 ingredients: butter, flour, pecans and sugar. I added a pinch of salt to help bring out the flavors.
The result is a nutty, buttery, crumbly cookie ball that just melts in your mouth. It’s not super sweet, but it really hits the spot.
Perfect for serving on game day as people are munching and milling about.
Oh, and looky there, I also added chocolate. 😉 Cause that’s never a bad idea, right?!
The chocolate makes these more of a dessert ball, so you can do some pecan balls plain and some with chocolate – whatever works for you!
Either way, these little pecan nuggets are an easy, make-ahead snack that would be great for tailgating, picnics, even holiday parties.
(I’m still adjusting to the fact that it’s September, though, so let’s not get too ahead of ourselves!)
A few notes on these pecan balls:
- If your butter isn’t at room temperature — mine never is — you can microwave it for about 20 seconds to soften it. You don’t want it melted.
- I buy pecan pieces – they are cheaper than whole, in-tact pecans, and they just need a rough chop to break up the big pieces for this recipe.
- The mixture is crumbly but the dough does stick to itself to be able to roll into balls. You can wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking to you.
- These are crumbly straight out of the oven, too, so be sure to let them cool on the pan so they can set up. Then they’re ready to share or transport!
(They’re also ready to drizzle or dunk with chocolate, if you’re so inclined!)
If you are feeling all about the football food like me, you should also check out my cheesy baked black bean dip or Shawn’s scrumptious looking cheesy taco sticks and Mexican layered hummus dip.
Note to self: I need to have a party ASAP so I can make all this delicious food. 😉
Happy football season, friends. Enjoy!
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4-ingredient pecan balls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional chocolate drizzle: 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
- Cream together the butter, sugar and flour with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Fold in the pecans and salt and stir until combined. The mixture will be crumbly but will stick to itself.
- Roll the dough into small balls (about 1/2-inch across) and place on an ungreased baking sheet. (You can wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking to you.)
- Bake at 275 degrees F for 45 minutes.
- Let cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. These pecan puffs keep for up to a week on the counter or in the pantry.
- To make the chocolate sauce: Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave in 30 seconds intervals until chocolate is melted and can be stirred together. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled pecan balls or dunk balls in the chocolate sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Chocolate Swirled Pumpkin Bars
Mark Jenkins
I dust mine with powdered sugar.
Shawn
We love them with powdered sugar too!
JEANNE ROBERTS
GUESS YOU MIGHT SAY I’M AN OLD WOMAN WITH UNUSUAL IDEAS. tonight I BOUGHT A PECAN PIE. TOO MUCH CRUST. SOOO TONIGHT I AM GONNA UT OFF ALL THE EDGE CRUST AND THROW IT OUT, THEN I CRUNCH ALL THE PIE TOGETHER AND ADD JUST A LITTLE FLOUR TO HOLD IT TOGETHER, THEN MAKEE SOME BALLS AND ROLL IT IN POWDERED SUGAR. DRIBBLE A LITTLE MILK CHOC. CHIPS ON THE TOP AND STICK IT ALL IN THE FRIG. THATS COLORADO COUNTRY STYLE
Mark Jenkins
I dust mine with powdered sugar.
Denise Hawkes
Is there only 2 tablespoons of sugar in recipe
Shawn
Yup! That’s it!
Tuija
i made these and experimented with it, i added about 1/2 cup, 6tbsp of Baileys Irish Cream, they were fantastic, thanks for the recipe, 🙂
Shawn
Fun! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Pauline camp
Can I substitute for walnuts or hazelnuts
Shawn
Definitely!
Tom
Can you use toasted almonds? My wife is allergic to pecans.
Shawn
I’m sure that would work too!
Jeanie
Melted the mixture in microwave. .just a minute..held together great..cookies were great..love this recipe..
Sherrill
Is 45 minutes correct?
Janae Betterton
Yes, I’ve made them 6 times now. Its right 275 degrees from 45 minutes.
Shawn
Yup! Hope you enjoy the cookies!
Wanda Reinert
well margaret, you finally posted something i made just last week. i ate all but a couple. i hated to share. need to do it again.
hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. i am still waiting for that cobbler you were to bring.
Janae
Can I use more sugar?
Shawn
You can roll them in powdered sugar when they’re done baking to make them sweeter, but adding sugar to the cookie might change the texture in the end.
Wanda Alexander
I will be maki g these little shortbread cookies again tonight…The were and are so good..All my friends that i gave them to just loved them..Thanks for a great recioe…
Shawn
That’s awesome Wanda! Thanks for reporting back!
Carole Malisiak
Do you measure the pecans before you chop them up or do you chop then measure out 1 cup?
Shawn
You’ll chop them up and measure out 1 cup.
Andrea
When would you coat in powdered sugar? Warm or cooled or partially cooled? I don’t want them to fall apart but I want to make sure the powdered sugar sticks.
Sal
Can you freeze them
Shawn
Yes, definitely!
Maureen
Thank you so much
Jennifer Bruen
Hello could I use salted butter?
Shawn
Yup!
linda
I wouldn’t add the separate salt if salted butter was used. I think it would be a bit too much.
Made them. They turned out well, but a bit not sweet enough for me, and I don’t have a sweet tooth. (I think I also thought these might be a bit more like a Russian Tea Cake – but those are definitely sweeter).
I tried drizzling my chocolate on top but couldn’t get it thin enough to drizzle, so I dunked the tops. They’re crumbly so that didn’t work too well. I just spooned a little chocolate on top instead.
A few of them I just dusted with powdered sugar (like a tea cake) rather than using chocolate. Yum!
Kate Rigatuso
Try mixing the powdered sugar with cocoa powder to roll. A lot less mess, but still chocolatey.
Shawn
Great tip! Thanks Kate!
Arwen
What about switching out regular flour for almond or coconut flour?
Terri
I am wondering the same thing
cathy
can we use almond flour or coconut ?
Carol
Can I use sugar free (zing) in place of the sugar? I am just learning how to not use sugar and not sure if I can substitute sweet and low or other sugar free substitutes for sugar. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ginny
Swerve is an all natural sugar free no calorie sweetner that is especially for baking. I just made cupcakes with it, they were very good. You could give it a try.
Dee
Can you substitute almonds foe the pecans?
Shawn
Yes, I think that would work just fine!
Pam
Can I use self rising flour??
Shawn
You can definitely try that. The baking powder in the self rising flour would give the cookies a different texture though. These cookies aren’t a fluffy cookie, they’re more coarse and crumbly.
KOKE
What about using artificial sweetener instead of sugar for diabetics. Everybody says artificial sweeteners are poison, but so is sugar to a diabetic. How about mentioning whether artificial sweeteners and low sodium salt is ok in your recipes?
ginny
I make desserts for my diabetic MIL using erythritol based sweetners (Truvia, Swerve, etc.). It is what is called a sugar alcohol, which is not at all like the alcohol that gets you drunk. It has no effect on insulin and no calories, and tastes very good. I just used the Swerve brand in some cupcakes, it’s a blend with other natural ingredients made especially for baking. You could give it a try!
Caroiyn
Can almond flour and honey be used instead?
Thanks
Kathy Greever
I really like that these don’t have a lot of sugar. Do you have any idea how many calories would be in each cookie? I love them.
David
Please put F or C next to your cooking temperatures.
If you live in America you assume it is F, but what about all the other people who live in other countries?
Shawn
The recipe is in F. Thanks!
LeeAnn Salisbury
I replace the sugar with honey. Same amount. I love them!
Shawn
Wonderful! So glad that worked out for you!
Gloria
I use almond and almond flavor!!!
Norma
How many pieces are yeilded per batch?
Norma
DISREGARD
Susan
I got 17 balls…
Nancy
Cn I use chopped walnuts instead of pecans?
Shawn
That should be fine!
Onora
How long can you store the cookies?
Shawn
They can last on the counter top for up to a week, fridge for a couple weeks and freezer for 3 months. Enjoy!
linda
can you roll these in conf. sugar
lynne
I do! And I drizzle the chocolate on top afterward. : )
Shawn
Yes!
Tracey suchma
Can u make dough then put in frig an bake the next day?
Shawn
Yes!
Marielle
Has anyone tried using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Celia Harmon
Your recipes are so simple and delicious
Lindsay Gallagher
I always refrigerate my dough overnight or for a few hours. That might help keep the shape better. Microwaving the butter is tricky as the butter melts so quickly. I add vanilla extract instead of salt , but will be trying the chocolate drizzle and rolling in cinnamon next time. I have always called them Greek butter cookies, so I think suing margerine would be a mistake.
Susan
iF YOU WERE ONE WHOSE COOKIES CAME OUT FLAT, you may have used the microwave to soften your butter but part of it was too liquid. Melted butter will make your cookies flatten. But they still should have been edible Why would you add an egg to this recipe when it’s not called for. Mine came out wonderful by following the recipe. Will make tons of them for Xmas..
BARBARA ANDRES
I am looking for a pie crust recipe that does not contain WHEAT flour. Can anyone help? Thanks.
Kristy-Renae Nielsen
Check out gluten free on a shoe string I just made a gf key lime pie with home made crust delicious An very simple
Bessie Edler
I will try these tomorrow.
Thank you
Donna
Can u freeze them?
Victoria
I make a version of these but I use cake flour and powdered sugar (and way more than 2 tablespoons!!). I also put in a bit of vanilla extract. They’re amazing cookies!