Russian Tea Balls

Serves:

Ingredients:

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
softened
2 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
2 c Sifted confectioner's sugar
3/4 c (3 ounces) chopped walnuts
1 ts Vanilla extract

Method:

1.
Position rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
2.
In a large bowl combine the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioner's sugar; beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute.
With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, flour, salt and walnuts to form a stiff dough.
3.
Using about 2 teaspoons of dough for each cookie, shape half the dough by rolling between hands.
Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake about 12 minutes, until just pale golden on the bottom.
4.
Meanwhile, sift 1/2 cup of the remaining confectioner's sugar into a 13 by-9-inch pan.
As soon as cookies are removed from the oven, use a spatula to transfer them to the sugar, tossing them around to coat; let the cookies cool completely in the sugar and then sift 1/4 cup more sugar over them to coat.
5.
Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, using a cool baking sheet to bake them and the remaining 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar, divided as before, to coat.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen