Russian Teacake Cookies

I always love the taste of these cookies, especially around Christmas. They are perfect on their own and even more perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. These buttery melt-in-your-mouth cookies are known by many different names around the world, such as Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Teacakes, Swedish Tea Cakes, Italian Butter Nut, Southern Pecan Butterball, Snowdrop, Viennese Sugar Ball, Sand Tarts, and Snowballs. They always contain finely chopped nuts and are twice rolled in powdered sugar. This recipe is originally from a 1950 Betty Crocker's Cookbook. I wanted to attempt these the first time by using the original recipe. Betty Crocker did not let me down.

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter or margarine, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cup finely chopped nuts (toasted or non-toasted)I used pecans

¼ teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Using a food processor, chop the nuts fine. You can use pecans or almonds. Feel free to toast them for a few minutes in the oven before chopping them if you desire

With a hand mixer and using a large mixing bowl, combine butter, ½ cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. 

With a large spoon, stir in the flour, nuts, and salt until dough holds together. I used my hands for this part, it made it easier

Shape dough with your hands, molding each cookie into a 1-inch ball. 

Place them about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet

Bake 10-14 minutes or until they are set but not brown, depending on the size of your cookies

Remove cookies from cookie sheet onto a wire rack to cool slightly

While cookies are still warm and you are able to handle them with your bare hands, roll them in powdered sugar (it will make them a tad moist, smearing the powdered sugar with fingers all over cookies) then cooling them completely on the wire rack

Once the cookies are completely cool, you roll them again in powdered sugar

Store in airtight container

Makes 3-4 dozen depending on teaspoon or tablespoon sized cookies

Inspired by Betty Crocker:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/russian-tea-cakes/3af8664b-6c3e-4022-b686-cd961521e59b?p=1