Christmas is coming, and that means you all need to taste new cookie recipes. This year I decided to bake a lot of different cookies, pack them in a lovely boxes and give to my friends as a small holiday gifts. This recipe is just a first try, but I’m already crazy about these delicate sugar balls, because they have all I like so much: cocoa powder, nuts, dried cranberries and pinch of love! That’s why they are so delicious.
You can replace pecans with any of your favorite nuts. Walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts would be super good too.
I will try to do my best and post at least one new holiday cookie recipe every week. Please, share with me your favorite cookie recipes, I need some inspiration. Cookie marathon officially begun!
Cranberry sugar nut balls
Ingredients:
- butter - 2 sticks, room temperature
- confectioners sugar - 3/4 cup, + more for dusting the cookies
- unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
- egg yolks - 2
- vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
- flour - 2 1/4 cup
- salt - 1/2 teaspoon
- toasted pecans - 1 cup
- dried cranberries - 1/2 cup
Instructions:
Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and cocoa powder until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Beat in the yolks and vanilla extract, until smooth. In a food processor, process nuts and cranberries, until you'll get some sort of paste. In a medium bowl mix flour and salt, combine with the butter mixture, until just incorporate. Follow the nut mixture, mix well. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in a plastic and transfer into refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay cookie sheet with a parchment paper. Form 1 tablespoon of dough into a small balls; place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let to chill in a fridge for 15 minutes. Bake 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, roll in remaining confectioners sugar and transfer to a platter.
they look yummy!