Very buttery and nutty cookies. They are also known as "Mexican wedding cookies." They usually appear in stores around Christmas.
» Ingredients
- 1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (4 oz/125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (3 oz/90 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)
- ¾ cup (3 oz/90 g) toasted, skinned, and ground hazelnuts (filberts)
- ½ cup (2 oz/60 g) confectioners' (icing) sugar
» Instructions
- With rack in the middle of the oven, preheat to 325°F (165°C). Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper.
- Sift the flour and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla with a wooden spoon until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the hazelnuts and stir until blended. Add the flour and mix until the soft dough comes together in large clumps.
- To make each cookie, use your palms to form a spoonful of dough into a 1-inch ball. Place the balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies 20-25 minutes, when the bottoms are light brown and the tops are lightly colored. Take them out of the even and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Gently roll the cookies in the sugar to coat them evenly. (Coat them as much sugar as you like, but I would just lightly coat them. ) You will not use all of the confectioners’ sugar.
» Makes about 24 cookies
» Storage: can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
» Calories: ~ 2100 total; 87/cookie
» Adapted from Essentials of Baking (Williams-Sonoma)