Do you ever have those days where you don't feel like writing a recipe headnote? Bloggers know what I mean, I'm pretty sure. Well, I don't feel like writing about this recipe. All I want to tell you is that these pine nut snowballs are freaking delicious and that you should make them immediately.
OK, I'll talk for just another second to impart this wisdom.
Snowballs (or whatever you want to call them) are a delicious holiday cookie which proliferates around the holidays. Often, these buttery cookies are made with walnuts or pecans. Nothing wrong with this. But pine nuts (pinon) are probably among the most buttery of nuts (I just made myself laugh saying that btw), and they do in fact make these already buttery cookies taste even MORE buttery.
OK, I really don't feel like saying any more. Make these now. You won't regret it!
Pine Nut Snowballs
Makes about 20 (give or take, depending on size)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, soft
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 1/2 cup or so more for rolling the finished balls
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Crush the toasted and cooled pine nuts. I like to put them in a sturdy bag, and whack them with a rolling pin. It scares my pugs, so I try to make it fast.
Once crushed, whisk the nuts together with the flour and salt to kind of sift it together.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in the vanilla.
Incorporate the dry mixture with the moist ingredients, mixing only until cohesive. It's gonna be crumbly.
Form into balls (about 1 inch or a little larger). Place on baking sheets with about 2 inches in between.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until "set". Remove from oven, let cool briefly, and then roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Re-roll directly before serving.
