Learn How to Make Low FODMAP Pecan Butterballs
These cookies are easy to make in the food processor and combine ground pecans, sweet butter, powdered sugar and vanilla into a delectable snow-white ball that we call Low FODMAP Pecan Butterballs.
A Cookie By Another Name
Many countries have variations of this cookie (Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, and the like) and for good reason – they’re packed with ingredients that are addictively delicious: butter, nuts and sugar!
A Perfect Holiday Cookie – Or Make These Year Round
These are popular throughout the United States, but particularly in the southeast where pecans are harvested, and especially around the winter holidays.
A Note on Sugar
These types of cookies, whatever they might be called, always call for a hefty amount of confectioners’ sugar to roll them around and coat them in a nice white blanket.
But don’t worry. You don’t end up eating all of that sugar; you just need it to roll the cookies around effectively.
Caution: Fragile
These cookies are fragile; there is no getting around the fact that you will probably lose a couple (but you can eat the crumbles!)
When they are hot, handle as little as possible. Once cooled, you will be rolling in confectioners’ sugar and I cannot emphasize enough that you should handle them very carefully.
Also, store them in single layers to keep them intact.
And check out our other holiday cookie recipes:
- Sugar Cookies
- Hanukkah Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Mocha Peppermint Cookies
- Rugelach
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – with several flavor variations!
Low FODMAP Pecan Butterballs
Our Low FODMAP Pecan Butterballs are low FODMAP and gluten-free!
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 36 cookies; serving size 1 cookie
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (75 g) lightly toasted pecan halves, cooled
- 2 cups (180 g) sifted confectioners' sugar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (290 g) low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
Preparation:
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Place pecans, ½ cup (45 g) powdered sugar and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse on and off to break up nuts, then process until nuts are finely ground. Add butter a few pieces at a time, pulsing on and off to incorporate, then run machine until mixture is smooth; pulse in vanilla extract. Add flour and pulse machine on and off until incorporated, scraping the dough down once or twice. Process until the dough begins to form a ball. Remove dough from machine, form into a very flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls. Dough may be refrigerated overnight. (You may freeze dough up to 1 month; defrost in refrigerator overnight before proceeding).
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line two half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper.
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Roll dough between your fingers and palms with lightly floured hands into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls and place on prepared cookie sheets 2-inches (12 mm) apart. Gently flatten just enough so they don’t roll off the sheet.
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Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges and on the bottom. Take care when checking, as they are very fragile when hot.
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Cool cookies on sheets placed on racks for 5 minutes, then sift about half of the remaining sugar over the warm cookies. Place remaining sugar in a small bowl. After cookies have cooled completely, roll them in the powdered sugar in the bowl to cover completely. Cookies may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I recommend arranging in single layers, separated by parchment paper - and no more than 2 layers tall.
Notes:
Tips
- Don't be alarmed by the amount of sugar used in this recipe. A lot of it won't make it to your mouth, as it is used to dust and cover the cookies, but a lot will be excess and left behind. Also, sugar is low FODMAP, so no worries!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Low FODMAP Recipes Created Just For You!
We take low FODMAP recipes seriously at FODMAP Everyday®. That’s why Dédé oversees our Test Kitchen and makes sure that each and every recipe works – and is low FODMAP following the most up-to-date science.
Read our article How Are Low FODMAP Recipes Created? for more in-depth information.
Rest assured that you will not find more trustworthy or delicious low FODMAP recipes anywhere – several hundred and counting.
FODMAP Everyday®Low FODMAP Recipes At A Glance:
- FODMAP Everyday®is accredited by FODMAP Friendly.
- Dédé is low FODMAP trained by Monash University.
- Dédé is also individual accredited as a recipe developer and FODMAP educator by FODMAP Friendly.
- We maintain our own professional Test Kitchen.
- Dédé has over 30 years of professional recipe development experience, including her stint as a Contributing Editor for Bon Appetit magazine and has written 17 cookbooks.
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