Snowballs
I know you're probably inundated with cookie recipes now, but I just couldn't let the holidays go by without sharing this recipe with you. I promise, this is the last one really...well, at least, I promise to try!!
These are a crumbly, buttery, melt in your mouth tradition that I've been making for years. Certain people in my family look forward to them and wouldn't consider it holiday time without them! They're a simple combination of butter, ground nuts, flour, confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract and then covered with more powdered sugar, to resemble little snowballs, hence the name (clever, huh?)
Besides being absolutely delicious, these have the added advantage of being able to be made ahead, as you can prepare and chill the dough several days in advance and then simply roll the balls out and bake whenever you're ready.
They only take about 20 minutes to bake and once cool, you simply role them in confectioners' sugar--
The cookies are delicate, crumbly and small (you'll have no trouble popping a few into your mouth) and are probably best eaten over a plate at the table, unless you don't mind a sugary trail of white powder running through your house, just sayin'. And I know you're probably on cookie overload right now, but wouldn't it be awesome to have a tin of these handy over the week to offer to guests or just to simply hoard for yourself?!!
Whatever you decide, have a very merry Christmas!! Hope you enjoy it with family, friends and lots of good food!!!
Snowballs
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus at least 4 hours to chill the dough); Bake Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar plus more to roll the cookies in after baking
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup ground walnuts
The Recipe
1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy. Add 4 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and the vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. On low speed, mix in the ground walnuts and flour, mixing only to blend.
2. Gather the dough into a large ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for several hours or up to 3 days.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into small balls, placing cookies about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tops are slightly cracked and bottoms of cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks. When cool, place some confectioners's sugar in a small bowl and toss cookies in to coat, one at a time. Store in an airtight container. Cookies keep for up to one week at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Kathleen's Bake Shop Cookbook by Kathleen King. I subbed out the almond extract for vanilla.
