Snowball Christmas Cookies

The holidays are the perfect time of year to make classic family recipes. This butterball cookie recipe, sometimes referred to as “Snowballs,” is a must for the holidays. Butterballs are simple yet delicious cookies – and are always festive for wintertime. For a variation on this recipe, add one cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Serve these cookies with warm cocoa or a hot toddy and enjoy!

Snowball Christmas Cookies
Makes about 36 cookies

½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling
8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, cream confectioners’ sugar and butter. Do not over mix. Add vanilla extract, flour and sea salt. Process until combined, about ten 1-second pulses until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and roll into a small disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Using your hands, shape dough 1 tablespoon at a time into small balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 -12 minutes.

Cool cookies slightly before rolling in confectioners' sugar. 

Homemade Gifts

I bet many of us are in the same boat. Life keeps humming along, busy as usual, then suddenly it's mid-December... and Christmas is just around the corner. One of my favorite ways to slow down and enjoy the season is to spend some time in the kitchen. Handwritten labels, pretty ribbon, and simple wrapping–there's just something special about a homemade gift. If you can spare just an hour (or less) this weekend, you can put together something more thoughtful than anything you can buy in a store. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Vanilla Sugar: Use a ratio of 1 vanilla bean per two cups of granulated sugar. My favorite beans are the Bourbon variety from Singing Dog Vanilla, available online. Split the bean and scrape the seeds into the sugar. Grind the mixture in a food processor and pass through a strainer to get the large bits out. Dust vanilla sugar on top of pie crusts, dip sugar cookies in it just before baking, or just sprinkle a little in your coffee.

2. Hot Cocoa Mix: Use a ratio of 1 part cocoa powder to 2 parts granulated sugar. The cocoa powder you use makes a huge difference in flavor. If you can, splurge for the good stuff! I recommend Valrhona. To spice things up a bit, add some ground cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg or ginger to your mix. Serious Eats has a great marshmallow-making tutorial if you want to make your gift complete.

3. Mulled Cider Spice Kit: Get some cheesecloth and make a pretty pouch of spices that can be dropped into a steaming pot of cider. Or, fill a vintage mason jar with layers of star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and coriander. You could also accompany your gift with an apple-friendly liquor, such as calvados or even plain brandy.