Pecan Snowball Cookies

These are, hands down my favorite Christmas cookies. The smell of the hot cookies right from the oven, dunked immediately in the powdered sugar - zoom - I am 8 years old, watching my Mom make them. I have made only one alteration to her recipe, which I have still, as she typed it out for me 30 years ago and that is to add salt. I don't know if the original recipe had salt or if she just forgot it, but they need it for sure. I also toast the nuts because the flavor is so much better. Mom may be making these herself today, out in Arizona.

And speaking of nuts? These lovely Jumbo Georgia Pecans came from Oh Nuts! as part of the gift they gave me to try.Look at those - huge, fresh and crunchy. I had a hard time saving them to bake with and blogging me slamming down a handful of pecans would not be a very good review of them - the cookies seem like a better idea.And really, there is no reason not to make these little delights - they are so easy.
Cream together
1 cup softened butter
1 & 1/2 cups confectioners [10X] sugar
Then add
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
and beat until very fluffy
Beat in
2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 & 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of toasted, ground pecans
Mix until completely incorporated - switching to a wooden spoon or the like if your mixer isn't beefy enough to handle that much flour.Form into a flattened disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for several hours or up to a week.Form into balls about the size of a large marble and place on a parchment lined [or greased] baking sheet. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes, turning baking sheet after 5 minutes.
Immediately roll in powdered sugarand place on rack to cool.When cooled, roll in sugar again and store in an airtight container.Each one is two little bites of Christmasey delight!