Mexican Wedding Cookies

By msippigrl

Aka Butterballs and Snowballs. Crumbly, buttery, nutty, sugar coated cookie nuggets that will literally melt in your mouth! Great addition to Christmas cookie trays.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1-cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, chilled
• 1 cup finely chopped or ground pecans
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners powdered sugar, for rolling (about 1 c.)

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl and on high speed of a hand mixer, beat the butter, 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add salt and 1 cup of flour and beat on low until incorporated. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir or beat in the pecans. Using a spoon, push the dough from the center to the sides of the bowl, cover, and refrigerate about 30 minutes. (This makes the dough easier to shape into balls.)

Shape dough into 1-inch balls, then place them about 1 inch apart on the lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until set but not brown.

Remove cookies with a thin, flat spatula to a wire rack to cool slightly. While cookies are still warm, roll them in confectioners sugar and place back on the wire rack to cool completely.

When cool and ready to serve, roll cookies in additional confectioners sugar, or just sift a little over the tops.