Preheat your oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. Process until the mixture is light and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, chopped pecans, and salt to the food processor. Pulse the mixture until a soft, cohesive dough forms and no dry streaks of flour remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Scoop the dough by the tablespoon and roll it between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are just lightly golden and the tops appear dry and set.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes until they are firm enough to handle but still warm.
Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar until it is completely coated.
Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack, then roll them in the powdered sugar a second time for a thick, snowy coating.
