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Mexican Wedding Cookies

How to Cook Everything ^[1] by Mark Bittman

Dessert | Yield: 3 dozen
Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 1 hour 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 oz. – 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup nuts of your choice, chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Optional: Chocolate-filled and coated variation

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 oz. Bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (raisin sized)
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder

Process

1. With an electric mixer beat butter until light and fluffy. Add 3/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar and cream together.
2. Combine flour, salt, nuts (if using) and cinnamon (if using) in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in vanilla.
3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour (or as long as 2 days).
4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

5. Normal version: Take the dough out of the fridge and roll into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet an inch apart.

   Chocolate version: Break off two 1/2-inch chunks of dough and flatten into disks. Place a chocolate chunk in the middle of one and place the other on top. Roll the disks together into a ball and place on cookie sheet an inch apart.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, but only barely browned on top.

7. Normal version: Put the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Add in 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, if desired, and blend.

   Chocolate version: Put the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Add in a tablespoon of cocoa and blend.

8. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until you can handle them. Roll each cookie in the sugar and put on rack to finish cooling. Once cool, roll them in the sugar mixture again.