In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract until well mixed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour and salt then gradually mix into the creamed butter. Stir until just combined.

Fold the chopped pecans in until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are set but not browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then roll each warm cookie in extra powdered sugar. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar a second time for a thicker coating.