Snowball Cookies – Snow Day Recipe

There's something about snow that just makes me want to bake. When I was younger, one of the first cookies I learned to make (and love!) were snowball cookies.

Also known as Russian teacakes, butterballs, and Mexican wedding cookies, they are really easy to make, and delicious.

I remember digging out Mama C's old Betty Crocker cookbook, and going right to that recipe.

Best of all, they don't require eggs, so if your pantry is decently stocked, you should be good to go!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar (to roll baked cookies in)

Preheat oven to 400°. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Roll dough into small balls (about 1 inch) and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10-12 minutes - you don't want them to get brown, just enough for the dough to be cooked. Let them cool slightly on a wire rack, but while still warm, roll them in powdered sugar.

If you like them extra sweet, you can roll the cookies in sugar again when they are completely cool.

Switch it up:

Use half lemon and half vanilla extract, and make a lemon glaze using equal parts lemon juice and powdered sugar.
Use different kinds of nuts...almond, walnuts, macadamias...
Fold in some toasted or plain shredded coconut with the dough, or roll the warm cookies in shredded coconut
Drizzle some Nutella on top of the baked cookies instead of using powdered sugar...though those are more like dirty snowballs!

Unlike regular snowballs, these cookies are better for eating than throwing. Enjoy!

What's your favorite snow day recipe? Tell us in the comment section below!