The best pecan snowball cookies

Blitz the pecans in a mini food processor (or chop using a sharp knife) until finely chopped with just a few rubbly pieces remaining. Tip into a bowl and add the flour and cinnamon.

Beat the butter and 100g icing sugar in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer (or the paddle attachment on a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, around 2 minutes.

Tip the dry ingredients into the bowl and stir until a thick, soft dough comes together. Use a tablespoon to scoop equal-sized pieces of dough – you should get 24 cookies from the mixture – and roll into balls using your hands. Place onto a plate and chill for at least 30 minutes, so they keep their shape once baked.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5 and line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Arrange the chilled dough on the trays, then bake for 8-10 minutes. The bottom edges should be lightly browned but the top will still look pale and feel soft. This leads to a perfect, chewy consistency, so don’t be tempted to overbake. Allow the cookies to cool slightly for 5 minutes on the tray.

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl. Toss the hot cookies gently in the sugar so they form a coating, then place back onto the tray to cool completely. Keep what’s left of the icing sugar. Once cooled, repeat the sugaring process again, so they gain their snowy appearance. Pack into boxes and enjoy.