Cookie Swap!

Last weekend, I went to my third annual Cookie Swap! I really wait for this event all year because it’s the only time where it’s okay to eat 20 cookies in one sitting

This year, I decided not to make my jam thumbprint cookies because they are a little involved and I was pressed for time. Instead, I made Martha’s “Noel Nut Balls” but I had a real problem naming them such so I called them “Russian Tea Cakes” which is one of several names for this type of cookie.

Apparently this recipe is Martha’s mom’s recipe but I made a couple of SMALL adjustments to it as usual.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 Tablespoons honey
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar plus 1 cup for rolling
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Chop up pecans. Martha says that they are “best if chopped by hand” and you gotta do what she says!!!

I ended up chopping them much more finely than the above picture.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pecans, confectioners’ sugar, and salt.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and honey until fluffy.

Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and beat to combine.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the dough, 2 teaspoons at a time (mine were maybe 1 1/2 teaspoons), into balls.

Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.

Bake until brown around the edges, 12 to 13 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Roll in confectioners’ sugar to coat.

…and voila!

They were tiny little balls of delight! So yummy and despite it being coated in sugar, because I had cut down on the sugar in the dough, it wasn’t overly sweet!

And here was the scene I walked into at the Cookie Swap.

I think you now understand why it’s one of my favorite days of the year.

And here’s Beth with her beautiful Christmas tree!

Thanks for a lovely cookie day, Beth!

Tags: cookie swap, Martha Stewart, pecan, Russian tea cakes