April 14th is National Pecan Day! Here in Texas pecans are a big business. We’re the second largest producer in the country (after Georgia), and the pecan tree is also our official state tree. We’ll be celebrating with a variety of pecan-inspired goodies, including these Pecan Cookie Balls.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Use an electric mixer at medium speed/power to beat the butter in a large bowl until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla extract, ground nutmeg and salt to the butter. If you are using cinnamon, add it as well. Beat the mixture until it’s well blended.
- Stir the flour and pecans into the mixture.
- Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place them one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. It should make around 48 balls.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the hot cookies from the baking sheets, and immediately roll them in the remaining two cups of sugar.
- Place the sugared cookies on wire racks to cool. Once they are cool, roll them in the sugar again.
It’s a soft, sweet treat that everyone can eat!