Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs

    So, I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but........I love the snow!  I just love to watch it falling outside my window, especially if I'm inside baking Christmas cookies!  Now, if there are kids around, snow usually means.....snowballs.  And, that is why these are the perfect cookies to share with you today......that and the fact that they are delicious!!   Flavored with cocoa and espresso powder, laced with finely chopped pecans, and covered with a dusting of snowy white powdered sugar.....all I can say is YUM!!  Give these a try, and see if they don't become a regular on your Christmas cookie baking list.

     Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs    (about 4 dozen)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups finely chopped pecans
powdered sugar, for rolling

The first thing to do is preheat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly butter or spray two cookie sheets.  Now, mix the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth.

Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt and thoroughly stir into the butter/sugar mixture.

Now, finely chop pecans to give you 2 cups. (I like to use my food processor for this)

Stir the pecans into the dough, cover or wrap in plastic, and chill for one hour.

Now, roll the chilled dough into balls and place about 2" apart on the prepared sheets.

 

Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 14 minutes, or until the tops are dry and the cookies are slightly firm.  Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes and then remove to racks.

 

While cookies are still warm, roll them in the powdered sugar to coat.

 

 Looks like snow, right?

When the cookies have totally cooled, store them in containers.  (You might want to hide them away so they don't get totally devoured before Christmas!)

Merry Christmas!!

For printable recipe, click here.

recipe from Food & Wine.com