Mexican Wedding Cookies  
From The Cookie Party Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Cookie Exchange
St. Martin's Press/Macmillan by Robin Olson (www.cookie-exchange.com)

A favorite of just about everyone, this basic shortbread and nut cookie goes by many names. They're also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Tea Cakes and Pecan Balls.

Mexican Wedding Cakes
Plain Text Printable Version

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided in half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan pieces or halves, finely ground

Beat the butter and ½ cup of the confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of the flour, the vanilla extract, and the salt.

Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in the remaining 1 cup flour and the ground nuts. Shape the dough into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place the balls 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookies stand on the baking sheets 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, place 1 cup sugar in a 13 × 9-inch glass dish. Transfer hot cookies to the sugar. Roll the cookies in the sugar, coating well. Let the cookies cool in the sugar. Sift the remaining ½ cup confectioners’ sugar over the sugar-coated cookies before serving.

Store tightly covered or freeze up to 1 month.   Makes about 4 dozen cookies