Good morning! How are you and how was your weekend? Mine was fabulous! It was so nice to be home and stuck inside because of the unusually cold weather. I started baking on Friday morning and did not stop until Sunday night. I made biscotti, Carmel corn, fairy food, sugar cookies, rugelach, candied almonds and one of my husbands favorite cookies Almond Snow balls among other things.
If you are not familiar with “snow balls” they are also know as Mexican wedding cakes or Russian tea cakes and are basically a butter cookie with ground nuts, either almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pistachios.
Almond Snow Ball Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
21/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake almonds in a single layer in a pan for 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stir halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325 F. Process almonds in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely ground. Beat butter at medium speed with electric stand mixer until creamy. Add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Dough will be a little crumbly.
Combine flour, salt, and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beat mixture until blended. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper or silphat lined baking pans.
Bake at 325F for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Roll cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
What did you do this weekend? Did you decorate? Bake? Relax and do some traveling? Whatever you did I hope that it was relaxing.
Have a great week, be safe if you are in the path of the snow!
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I make nearly the same recipe with cardamon, a Turkish version. With a single whole clove stuck in the top of each.
We have had many versions of this cookie, my aunt making one version with almond extract. Either way, they are a sign of Christmas and they are a must! Hello my friend, and welcome home!
I think my mother made those.
Yum! I'm going to try it with almond extract instead of vanilla, these look delectable!