Season: Winter
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10-13 minutes
Inactive cook time: 6 hours to overnight
Confectioners sugar turns these buttery tea cakes into miniature snowballs.
Makes about 5-6 dozen cookies (depending on the size of ball you make)
2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted grass-fed butter, softened
3 cups organic confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cup a/p flour (cup4cup GF flour is used here)
3/4 cup very finely chopped pecans (21/2 oz)
3/4 tsp sea salt
Beat together butter and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then add flour, salt, and pecans and mix at low speed until just combined. Chill, covered, at least 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 375.
Let dough sit at room temperature until pliable, about 15 minutes. Roll level teaspoons of dough into 3/4 inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. If not using parchment paper butter the baking pans.
Sift remaining 2 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar into a large shallow bowl. Set aside.
Bake in batches in middle of oven until bottoms are a pale golden brown, about 10-13 minutes.
Immediately transfer hot cookies to confectioners sugar, gently rolling to coat well. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Roll cookies in confectioners sugar again when cooled.
Cooks note: In most sweet recipes you can change the sugar but NOT for these delicate morsels. Make sure it is organic. Cookies keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container. They make a great Christmas gift wrapped in parchment with a red bow tied around them. This recipe requires a bit of patience. They must be chilled for at least 6 hours. Can make dough the day before baking.
If using traditional flour cook for 8-10 minutes.