Italian Wedding Cookies / Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies / Snowball Cookies / Russian Tea Cakes

I am dreaming of a white Christmas 

Just like the ones I used to know 

Where the treetops glisten, 

and children listen 

To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I am dreaming of a white Christmas 

With every Christmas card I write 

May your days be merry and bright 

And may all your Christmas's be white 

It definitely is beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas now and what better way to enjoy such a cold December evening than huddled up in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa and some snowball cookies . These cookies are fondly known by different names but I like to call them Snowball Cookies and usually bake them around this time of the year. With its powdery white snowball like appearance, to me, its a warm reminder of the upcoming snowy, wintery holidays. 

The first time I had these cookies were at an office potluck and it was instant love at first taste. I tried asking my colleague for the recipe and he was then supposed to ask his wife but I never got a response from him :( Well, I guess some people just don’t like sharing their recipes but I was determined to recreate those tasty bits of winter magic because they were just too good – so I googled frantically and found this recipe that seemed to be the closest match and hence for the past 2 years I have been using this recipe

Apparently this is going to be the last post of this year at LifeScoops. A year full of adventure, experimentation and lots of fun, learning new recipes and making new friends on the blogosphere. I hope to come back from my month-long vacation with renewed spirits  ideas and vigor and eagerly look forward to lots more learning, new recipes and of course making more great friends next year. I specially want to thank all of you who take time to read my blogs and keep pushing me on with your warm support and encouragement. The LifeScoops Facebook fan page has been growing  –  it is truly motivational and I really love you all!! 
  
For my vacation, I am headed back to India for my sister-in-laws wedding and I am so excited for her and for being able to go back home and meet my family. Until next year then, this is Shema George signing off with a truck load of warm wishes for the Christmas and the New Year ahead ! 

Recipe adapted from here

Makes about 50 cookies

Ingredients 
1 1/2 Cup – Butter (unsalted)
3/4 Cup – Powdered Sugar
3/4 Tsp - Salt
1 1/2 Cup - Finely ground almonds
4 1/2 Tsp - Vanilla extract
3 Cup - All-purpose flour (sifted)

1/3 sifted - Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions 

• Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). 
• Cream butter in a bowl and add powdered sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. 
• Add ground almonds and vanilla. 
• Blend in flour gradually and mix well. 
• Shape the dough into balls (or crescents or any shape you desire) and place them on a cookie sheet 
• Bake for 15-20 min. Make sure not to brown them. 
• While hot roll the cookies in powdered sugar. 
• After cooling once again roll the cookies in powdered sugar. 

Notes and Tips

• To make almond powder, pulse whole almonds in a food processor. If you want a white cookie use almonds without the skin, but I use whole almonds
• Make sure you leave some space between the cookie while baking as they will grow