Mexican Wedding Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups nuts (I used pecans)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp and cut into small chunks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
powdered sugar, for coating

Preparation

Pulse the nuts in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until half of them look finely chopped and the rest look pulverized.
Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
Wipe the bowl of the FP with a paper towel to remove any excess nut oil.
Put the granulated sugar in the bowl and process until powdery.
Add the flour and salt and pulse just to mix.
Add the butter chunks, vanilla and egg yolk.
Process until the mixture looks damp and begins to clump together.
Add the nuts and pulse until combined.
Transfer dough to another bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, or up to a few days.
Preheat the oven to 325.
Shape barely more than level tablespoons of dough into 1 1/4\" balls or crescent shapes.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (ungreased).
Bake for 22- 24 minutes or until lightly colored on top and golden brown on bottom.
Rotate the cookie sheets halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.
When the cookies are done, let them cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then gently roll each hot cookie in powdered sugar to coat.
Cool completely on a rack before storing.
If desired, you can roll each cookie in powdered sugar again once completely cooled for more even coating.
Cookies may be stored, airtight, for at least 2 weeks.