Nut Puffs

These are similar to Russian Tea Cakes and one of Christopher's favorite cookies (pictured at lower left on the plate of holiday cookies). They are delicious but messy to eat. I remember once making them for Grandmother Up Down to serve for “tea” to her friends Mary and Walter. I also made dill bread in the bread maker for tea sandwiches (with cream cheese and fresh dill filling). The bread didn’t come out just right and was unusually crumbly. So the sandwiches left breadcrumbs all down the front of their clothes. Then came the cookies, which really should be made small enough to eat in one bite. Even though they were "bite-size", Grandmother and her guests tried to bite them in half. When they did the cookie virtually exploded, leaving powdered sugar and more crumbs all over the front of their clothes. They said everything was “delicious” and were good-natured about the mess, but I really felt I should have offered to vacuum their clothes before I sent them on their way.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade, cream:

½ c butter
2 T granulated sugar

Add:

1 c flour


And mix well. Add:

1 c pecans
1 t vanilla

And mix until the pecans are finely chopped.

Form into marble-sized balls (remember "bite sized"!) and put on a greased or non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and roll immediately in

Confectioner’s sugar

This will form a glaze. Cool on a rack.

Reviewed 5/14/17