1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Drain the maraschino cherries very well, then pat them completely dry with paper towels. Finely chop the cherries and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together until light, creamy, and slightly fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully combined.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.

5. Gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries and chopped pecans or walnuts until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. If the dough feels very soft or sticky, chill it for 20–30 minutes.

6. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.

7. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are just barely turning light golden. The tops should remain pale.

8. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, until they are firm enough to handle but still warm.

9. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm, gently roll each one in the powdered sugar until well coated, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. For an extra snowy look, lightly roll or dust the cooled cookies in a second coat of powdered sugar just before serving.