Christmas Cookie Countdown: Snowball Cookies

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me snow ball cookies! Okay traditionally they are called Russian tea cookies but I've always raise my kids that their Snowball cookies. This beautiful combination of butter, pecans and powdered sugar is so simple and easy to put together. Most the stuff you have on hand and the best part is you're not gonna have to run to the store for eggs because they're not in it. Score! 

I use my mini prep to pulse my pecans into a fine grind. You may notice that the amount of cookies pictured are less than what the recipe makes... that's because if I ate 12 recipes worth of cookies I'd writing a blog on diabetes and not cooking. Everything in moderation is always good folks.

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter unsalted

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Extra powdered sugar for rolling


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Now you can use a hand mixer for this but really a wooden spoon and  your hands are the best tools you have. 

Mix together butter and half cup powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. It will make a sandy like grit. 

Add and flour, pecans, and salt to your butter sugar and vanilla mixture. Stir just until it comes together. 

I switched my hand so I can really press it together. The heat from your hands will help soften the butter a little bit more and make it easier to work with.

Shape tablespoon amounts of dough into balls and place on a un-greased sheet tray. I use my silpat (silicon mat) just as an extra layer so they don't brown too much. 

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes only the bottoms will be golden brown and when they come off the sheet tray you have to be very gentle because the fall apart when transporting them to a wire rack.

Let cool for about five minutes and gently roll warm cookies and powdered sugar this will create almost like a melted glaze on the outside.

Oh but we're not done yet roll them a second time once they've cooled and the sticky sugar will help in here even more powdered sugar so go get a real snowball effect.

These cookies are so Rich. They are buttery, nutty and they are so delicate and beautiful they can even be used for tea party other times of the year. I hope your family enjoys them as much as we do.

Happy Cooking!