Easy Christmas Cookies: Nutty Shortbread Snowballs
JulieVR
|
On a day when the snow is falling, make these buttery-sweet, nutty shortbread balls. Rolling them in powdered sugar while they’re still warm creates a sort of buttery frosting exterior – roll them a second time and they’ll resemble a pile of snowballs. They’re easy to package and have staying power, making them perfect for gift-giving; package in decorative bags, jars or small bowls, wrapped with cellophane and tied with a bow.
My mom used to make these every year – now I do. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without them.
Nutty Shortbread Snowballs
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and/or pecans, toasted
extra icing sugar, for rollingPreheat oven to 375°F. Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until light. Add the flour, salt and nuts and stir until blended – you may need to use your hands.
Roll dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until pale golden around the edges and on the bottom. While still warm, roll in a shallow dish of icing sugar to coat. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 2 dozen.
Julie, I’ve never before met anyone that made these – this is so cool! They are our family’s all time fave. We make them in a small egg shaped roll (not a ball), but they are identical. We call them pecan rolls and if we never made other cookies at Christmas, that would be fine by me. Going to make ours this weekend!
Laura
I have been making these for years, and they are always a hit…