Sunday, August 19, 2012

Walnut Snowball Cookies


These cookies turned out exactly as I hoped they would (always a plus when trying out a new recipe!!). I found the recipe in this month's Food & Wine magazine. They have a delicate, crumbly texture. The walnuts are the perfect compliment to the cookie and the powdered sugar! YUM! I will definitely be making these come Christmas time. Enjoy!

1 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 c. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F

Spread the chopped walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 325F

In a standing mixer or with a hand-mixer, beat the butter and vanilla extract at high speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula half way through. At low speed, mix in the salt, then gradually add the flour and walnuts and beat just until the cookie dough comes together, scraping down the side of the bowl halfway through.

Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls and arrange them on greased cookie sheets. Bake the cookies in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 17 minutes, until they are lightly browned on the bottom; switch the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookie firm up on the sheets, about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool slightly.

Put the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl. Roll the warm cookies in the sugar to coat and return to the rack to cool completely. Roll again in the sugar, if desired.

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