Snowball Cookies

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Spread them on a plate to cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until no dry flour remains. The dough will look crumbly at first, then clump together. Stir in the cooled nuts.
5. Scoop level tablespoons of dough, roll them into 1-inch balls, and set them 1 inch apart on the pans. If the dough feels soft and greasy, chill the filled pans for 15 minutes.
6. Bake one pan at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the bottoms are light golden and the tops look set but still pale.
7. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes. Put the 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl, roll each warm cookie in it, and set it on a wire rack.
8. When they have cooled completely, about 20 minutes, give each cookie a second roll in the sugar for a thick, snowy coat.

Good to know

• Make ahead: keep the finished cookies in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 1 week. If the sugar coat soaks in, give them a fresh roll before serving.
• To freeze, wrap the baked cookies after their first sugar roll and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then give them the second roll.
• Pecans and walnuts are both traditional. For almond snowballs, use finely chopped almonds and add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract with the vanilla.