Pecan Butter Balls

A tasty little pecan treat

25 minutes to prepare, 45 minutes to cook

Makes 34 cookies

"A Baker's Guide to Christmas Cookies" by Dede Wilson

Contributor!Wilson, Dede Desserts!Pecan Butter Balls Christmas Cookies!Pecan Butter Balls Cookies!Pecan Butter Balls Pecans!Pecan Butter Balls >Vanilla!Pecan Butter Balls

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Pecan halves
• 1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted Butter softened
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Flour all purpose
• 1 1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar for coating

Directions

Using a mixer, pulse pecans, 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar, and salt together until nuts are fully ground. Add butter a few tablespoons at a time, until mixture is smooth. Blend in vanilla.

Add flour, and process until dough begins to form. Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls (at least one hour, or overnight).

Roll the dough between your palms into 1 inch (2.5 cm) diameter balls. Roll the ball in granulated sugar to coat completely, and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Gently flatten them just enough that they don't roll around.

Parchment paper is optional with this recipe, but it makes cleanup and pan juggling easier.

Bake in 350 deg F oven until light golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet for five minutes, then sift remaining 1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar over the warm cookies. After the cookies have cooled completely, roll the in the sugar left on the sheet to cover completely.

Stores up to two weeks in an airtight container, in layers separated by waxed paper.