Walnut Balls

Published: Nov 28, 2006

Toni Gerber Hope, health editor: "Although these walnut balls weren't the culinary centerpiece of my Austrian-German grandmother's Christmas table -- that honor was reserved for labor-intensive, paper-thin sugar cookies -- she would still make them every year. They added variety to her repertoire, and they were so easy. I bake them for the same reason, and I'm always surprised by how yummy such a simple recipe can be."

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Yields:: 6 dz.
Cal/Serv:: 65

Ingredients

1 c. butter (no substitutions)
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
tsp. salt
1 bag walnuts
1 1/4 c. confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour and salt just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. Stir in walnuts.
2. Step 2Shape dough by rounded measuring teaspoons into 1-inch balls. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 13 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
3. Step 3Place confectioners' sugar in pie plate. While cookies are hot, with metal spatula, transfer 4 or 5 cookies at a time to pie plate with confectioners' sugar. Gently turn cookies with fork to generously coat with sugar. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
4. Step 4Repeat with remaining dough and confectioners' sugar. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week or in freezer up to 3 months. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar before serving if you like.