Monday, November 15, 2021

Butterballs -Old Fashioned Walnut Christmas Cookies

As we approach Thanksgiving I thought I'd share a butterball that's not a turkey:@) These Butterball Cookies are an old time recipe that requires minimal ingredients, and they have a very nice browned butter roasted nut flavor! They also don't call for eggs, in case that's important for your crew. The secret to the cookies drying out nicely is a long low baking time, so you will have to do a little planning to make them. But once baked, they'll keep for a long time, travel well, and are perfect with coffee or tea! This is a holiday recipe I've had stashed away for quite a while, I'm glad I finally tried it.

Thoughts:
  • This is a very thick dough, I just used my hands to mix it at the end.
  • I don't know if the cookies freeze well, but I ~can~ say the balls of dough freeze very well! Freeze individual balls on parchment or silicone and store in zip top bag. Then just take them out of the freezer, place on baking sheet for a half hour or so to thaw, and bake however many you want.
  • My walnuts were itty bits, marketed as 'finely diced'. I'm sure anything goes as long as you can roll the cookies into small balls.
  • If desired, you can add a light sift of powdered sugar right before serving for best presentation. I will say my cookies stayed nice and white from the original rolling in sugar though.
  • Recipe easily scaled down to half or one fourth. One fourth makes around 30 cookies, I do suggest trying to keep them 3/4".

The graphic that caught my eye on Pinterest:

Butterballs
1 lb butter-I used salted
1 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 C A/P flour
2 C chopped walnuts
  1. Cream butter, slowly mix in sugar, add vanilla, cream well.
  2. Alternately mix in flour and nuts, dough will be very thick. Mix with hands at the end.
  3. Roll into 3/4" balls (keep your cookies small folks). 
  4. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour.
  5. Cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes. 
  6. Roll in powdered sugar, place on rack (a plate is ok if rolling in sugar again).
  7. Optional: Roll in powdered sugar a second time. I did do it twice.
  8. Make sure cookies have completely cooled, store in air tight container.
Enjoy a cookie and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

9 comments:

  1. Those cookies look so tasty, Lynn! How can you wrong with a pound of butter?!! I make something similar from my Betty Crocker cookbook, but they’re called Russian Teacakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies. I’ve also heard them called Snowballs. Whatever their name, they are melt in your mouth good!

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  2. It's hard to resist a cookie named Butterball! So pretty!

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  3. My mother made these every single Christmas until she could non longer bake. I am going to make them this year and hopefully every year until I can no longer bake!

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  4. These were my favorite cookies at Christmas time growing up. My mom made them every year. Such fun memories. I haven't made them in a while, but I need to!

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  5. Oooh, I make a version with pecans, but I'd be happy to indulge in a walnut version, too! So yummy.

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  6. These look like yummy cookies for the holidays Lynn!

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  7. These look SO yummy! I can't wait to try these!! Found you through the Handmade Monday Link Up & I'm so glad I did :)

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  8. I also make a version with pecans as my mother did for many years. Great recipe and good to know the balls of dough freeze well! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your boys, Lynn! ♥

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  9. Your Butterballs look SO tasty Lynn! The remind me of our favorite Mexican Wedding Cookies. ♥

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