Classic Butterball Cookies

[bigmike&nan]

Anyone who's had them knows. They're really simple to make and VERY GOOD...


Mis en Place

1/2 lb softened butter
1 Tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup white sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped (pecans, macadamia nuts or a mix of all)

2 cups powdered sugar


Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream butter, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth. Fold in flour, then chopped walnuts. Moisten hands, roll into small balls, about 30 per cookie sheet. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes, rotate pan, bake additional 15 minutes. Allow to cool outside 30 minutes.

Finishing:
sift powdered sugar into bowl, toss 4 or 5 cookies well in sugar at a time, covering cookies well. Repeat for remaining cookies. Before serving give cookies a fresh toss in the sifted powdered sugar. SIFTING the powdered sugar is critical to proper coating of cookies. Serve with espresso.

Enjoy

 

[charmed one]

Bigmike&nan, I gotta say, I look forward to reading each day to see what recipes you have posted!

I especially love the Italian recipes. My DH is Italian, his family coming from Milan and Roma. Please keep sharing with us! I really enjoy it!

 

[PaintedGemsRanch]

MMMMMMmmmmm these are my favorite and my specialty, thanks to Grandmas recipe!!! These are a holiday favorite with my family. Anyone new that eats them says "Ewww whats that" then they have a bite and are hooked forever!!!!

 

[bigmike&nan]

I rarely bet on anything, but an old friend of mine from California and I were going back and forth last week over who would win the Cowboys/Niners game - I chose the Niners out of loyalty to my old team. Dallas proceeded to tie the game at the end of regulation and was first to score in OT. I am honor bound to send my good friend James a box of these addicting little cookies...

Never bet on anything but LOVE. LOL

 

[Oregon Blues]

Those look and sound just like Mexican Wedding Cakes. If I have some spare time, I'll look up a recipe to compare.

Very interesting. What country is that recipe from?

 

[ChickiKat]

I have always known these as Russian Tea Cakes.... love 'em by any name!!

 

[Oregon Blues]

It's not from my recipe collection. I just pulled it off the web. This cookie is always made with powdered sugar and not granulated sugar, so that part of the recipe is different. There is a cookie like this from Greece, too, but I can't remember what it is called.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Blend well. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely and reroll in powdered sugar.

 

[chickendude]

My mom used to make these, we called them "Snow Balls" interesting as to the different names. And I love these. They are my all time favorite cookie. Glad my wife got my moms recipe before she passed away.

 

[bigmike&nan]

Quote:
My Uncle Ralph's MIL used to throw down one amazing Thanksgiving Dinner every year. Mrs. Billings also had lots of wonderful baked items and hand made candies laid out, where I first got my taste of these - she called them butterball cookies.
I got my original recipe off THE JOY OF COOKING, the OLD version.

Love 'em any old way. A Sicilian place I worked in sold them made with toasted blanched almonds - they were quite good - and at $16.00 a pound you learn to make 'em yourself if you have a sweet tooth like me. LOL

 

[bigmike&nan]

bigmike&nan :

Quote:
The guy I made the football bet with called them Mexican Wedding Cookies.
My Uncle Ralph's MIL used to throw down one amazing Thanksgiving Dinner every year. Mrs. Billings also had lots of wonderful baked items and hand made candies laid out, where I first got my taste of these - she called them butterball cookies. You ate at her table you got an idea of what really well prepared food was. Too bad I wasn't more into the cooking part of eating as she would have been a wonderful teacher. Never a lousy dish on her buffet.
I got my original recipe off THE JOY OF COOKING, the OLD version.

Love 'em any old way. A Sicilian place I worked in sold them made with toasted blanched almonds - they were quite good - and at $16.00 a pound you learn to make 'em yourself if you have a sweet tooth like me. LOL​