Pecan Balls

Hi, everyone! My name is Desiree & I live in Richmond, BC.  I've been enjoying reading your posts and hope that I can contribute from time to time.  

The other day, I made pecan balls, to bring to my friend Anna's open house.  They're super easy and versatile.  They're from the Company's Coming cookbook series, published here in Canada.

Pecan Balls

1 cup butter

1/2 cup icing sugar

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup ground pecans

2 tsp. vanilla

and another 1/2 cup icing sugar to coat the balls.

You just combine the first 5 ingredients with a spoon, then by hand to work the dough until it holds.  You shpe in about 1 inch balls, then arrange on an ungreased baking sheet.  I use parchment paper though.  Bake in 325 deg F (or 160 deg C oven for about 20 minutes.  My oven tends to be a bit hot so I like to bake it just until golden brown.  This should make about 6 dozen.

As soon as the balls have cooled enough to handle, roll them in icing sugar.

They present beautifully too, if you have little round pastry cups to put them in.  I'd unfortunately ran out as I was bringing them as a gift so I couldn't show them here, I just put the left overs on a napkin to show you.

Variations: Almond - do 1 cup ground almonds instead of pecans.  Almond crescents - use 2 cups ground almonds instead of the pecans, and roll into finger-size thickness.  Cut into 2 inch lengths, then pinch ends, shaping into crescents. Hidden cherry - Cover well-drained maraschino cherries with dough.