Butter Balls

Submitted by CookingONTheSide

"There are similar versions to this cookie, but I truly think that if you make mine like directed, you will find that these are the best. They will melt in your mouth. This has been a recipe used in my family since I was a little girl. We always made them for Christmas and weddings, but they are good anytime. The key is to use butter and make sure you grind the nuts very fine. I use my Kitchen Aid grinder attachment, but you can also use a food processor. Other versions use just chopped nuts, but I think when they are finely ground that makes the difference. Another important step is to bake them at 250 degrees for 45 minutes. Again, the other versions don't do this, but I stick with my recipe and am never disappointed. The extra time is worth it! This recipe will probably make 100 balls, depending on how large you make the cookies. The baking time listed is just an estimate. It will vary depending on how many cookies you make and how many you put on a cookie sheet. You can fit quite a bit on a cookie sheet because they really don't spread much."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 100 cookies

ingredients

• 453.59 g butter, softened, no substitutes
• 946.36 ml walnuts or 946.36 ml pecans, very finely ground
• 118.32 ml granulated sugar
• 59.16 ml vanilla
• 0.61 ml almond extract
• 946.36 ml flour
• powdered sugar

directions

1. Grind walnuts very fine. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla.
4. Add flour and nuts alternately. You may have to mix by using your hands to really get it all mixed together well.
5. Roll into small balls, approximately 1-inch.
6. Place on cookie sheet, ungreased. You can usually fit a lot of cookies on the cookie sheet because they do not spread that much.
7. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, have a bowl of powdered sugar ready for when the cookies come out of the oven.
9. When cookies are brought out of the oven, allow to cool for maybe a minute until you can pick them up without breaking them. Roll in powdered sugar and place them on wax paper. Cool.
10. I also like to roll them in powdered sugar a second time when they are completely cool.

Reviews

[Adria82]

Thanks for the recipe, Lainey. I gave 3 stars in December 2012 and I have now decided it must have been MY error, because I made your recipe this year and they came out perfectly! I will give some advice for others who had trouble with cookies spreading: Don't let your butter get too soft. It should still be a bit cool. Also, refrigerate the dough for a bit before rolling into balls. To prevent them from falling apart when finished, I set the hot cookie sheet on a wire baking rack for a few minutes, then place the butterballs in a tin of powdered sugar and put the tin IMMEDIATELY into the freezer. After a few hours I shake the tin to cover the cookies with powdered sugar and NONE fall apart. I store these in the freezer anyway, so it works. :-)

 

[Sharon123]

Yummy and delicious! Love these cookies! Thanks.

 

[Marie Nixon]

I halved the recipe and got 49 cookies. I added a large pinch of salt to the ingredients but otherwise followed the directions exactly.

 

[appleydapply]

Wonderful cookies; this one's a keeper! The recipe was easily halved.

 

[kellyhp12]

Followed (half) the recipe exactly, and it turned out perfect. Everyone loved them at work.