Mexican wedding cakes (cookies)

From December 12, 2012

Our homeschooling group is having an Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta tomorrow with a Mexican potluck. I wanted to bring something Mexican, but all of the go-to simple items were covered. I was looking for something quick and easy to make, since I was trying to nurse and put a newborn to sleep around the same time (sometimes it takes ALL evening). These Mexican wedding cakes looked just the thing. And they were.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (1 cups) butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped very fine or ground in a food processor
1 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar for dusting and rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl with beater attachment, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and beat again until smooth.

Scrape down sides of bowl. Add vanilla and salt, beat and scrape down once more. Turn mixer to low, add flour and ground toasted pecans. Beat only until incorporated and mixed well. Scrape bowl.

Using a medium sized cookie scoop or Tablespoon, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room between each ball. Do not flatten.

Bake in 350 degree over for 14 minutes or until cookies are almost firm and the edges are lightly browned. Let cool just enough to handle.

Remove from oven and as soon as you can handle them, gently roll the cookies into the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Tap off sugar and place them on a cool cookie sheet.

When the cookies are all coated, start over again, and roll them in powdered sugar a second time. Shake off excess and place on cookie sheets.

I made mine a tad small, as I was trying to make more, but this should yield 30 cakes (I made 35).