National Cookie Day

Today’s is December 4th, National Cookie Day. Growing up, I remember my mother baking cookies throughout the month of December for different holiday parties and get togethers. When I was in elementary school and we still had a Christmas party, everyone would bring some kind of treat. Our fellow students would only allow me and my sister to bring one thing: Mama’s cookies. They were basic cookie recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook with icing on them. I never thought there was much special about them, but everyone else seemed to love them. I much preferred my mother’s pecan cookies or her snowball cookies, which were my favorite. (See recipe below.)

We can thank the Dutch for more than windmills and tulips. The English word "cookie" derives from the Dutch word koekie, meaning "little cake." Hard cookie-like wafers have existed for as long as baking has been documented. Not surprisingly, they traveled well, too. However, they were usually not sweet enough to be considered cookies by modern-day standards. The origin of the cookie appears to begin in Persia in the 7th century, soon after the use of sugar became common in the region. They then spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain. Cookies were common at all levels of society throughout Europe by the 14th century, from the royal cuisine to the street vendors.

Cookies arrived in America in the 17th century. Macaroons and gingerbread cookies were among the popular early American cookies. In most English-speaking countries outside of North America, the most common word for cookie is "biscuit." In some regions, both terms, cookies, and biscuits are used.

To celebrate National Cookie Day, pick up some cookies at your local bakery and share some of your cookies with your family and friends! A great way to get started is by making a list of your favorite cookies to bake and enjoy. Then organize your baking tools and start your assembly line.

Snowball Cookies

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 15 min
Servings: 60

Ingredients
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup very finely chopped pecans
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar, or more as needed

Preparation Steps
1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Gradually mix in flour, pecans, and salt until completely incorporated.
4. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until bottoms are light golden brown but tops are still pale, 12 to 15 minutes. (Try not to let cookies get too brown: it's better to undercook them than to overcook them.)
6. Remove cookies from the oven and let sit on the baking sheets briefly before removing to wire racks.
7. Place 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl; roll hot cookies in sugar to coat, then return to the wire racks to cool.
8. Once cooled, roll cookies in the powdered sugar once more.

Note
Snowball cookies are incredibly easy to make for rich and buttery, melt-in-your-mouth festive treats rolled in powdered sugar to resemble snowballs.

Nutrition
Calories: 63 kcal
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 8 mg
Sodium: 9 mg
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 1 g

Source URL
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11171/snowballs-ii/