Snowballs
Yield: 32-34 cookies
A classic holiday cookie (with no eggs) that mixes up in a single bowl, this foolproof recipe tastes like a sugar-dusted pecan sandie and looks so pretty, too.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 2¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour* (a cup-for-cup GF blend works well, too)
  • ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) water or liqueur, such as Kahlua or Grand Marnier
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup (86g) finely chopped pecans (could use walnuts or almonds)
  • ¾ cup (85g) confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 325℉.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft.
  3. Add half of the flour, all of the granulated sugar, water or liqueur, vanilla, and salt. Beat to thoroughly combine.
  4. Beat in the remaining flour, followed by the nuts.
  5. Shape the dough into balls (about 1½ tablespoons each). For consistently sized cookies, I like to use a small ice cream scoop.
  6. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on a rack.
  7. Add the confectioner’s sugar to a zip-top or paper bag. Gently shake a few cookies at a time to coat the cookies. Remove to a plate.

Notes

*When measuring the flour by volume instead of using a scale, be sure to fluff it up, spoon it into the measuring cup (rather than scooping into the flour with the cup), and then level with the straight edge of a knife. This will ensure the flour isn’t compacted, which can lead to too much flour being used.

For a heavier coating of confectioner’s sugar: I roll the cookies in the sugar once, but some people like a more liberal coating, oftentimes for the extra white appearance. To do this, allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then gently roll them in the confectioners’ sugar to coat. Place the cookies back on wire racks to cool completely. Once completely cooled, roll them in the confectioners’ sugar again.

Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The cookies may also be frozen for up to 3 months. The unbaked dough freezes well for up to 3 months, too; thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to come to room temperature before baking.

To “freshen” the snow of cookies that have been packaged for freezing or may simply have some bare spots, you may sift additional powdered sugar over the top. I like to use a fine mesh sieve and gently tap it with my hand.


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