Free Friday Recipe!

Library Edition ISBN: 0-7660-3765-6
Paperback Edition ISBN: 978-1-59845-270-9

Why save dessert until last? We've decided there's no reason to, so today we're posting a free dessert recipe from our new Easy Desserts From Around the World book. Tie on your apron and find a reason to celebrate.

Celebration Cookies

In Mexico, people hand out small sweet, nutty cookies during celebrations and weddings. Mexican celebration cookes are often wrapped in white, ruffled tissue paper and given to guests.

What You Need

Equipment:
Large bowl
Wooden spoon or electric mixer
2 cookie sheets
Plastic or paper bag
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, left out of the refrigerator until they are at room temperature
1¾ cups confectioner's sugar (Confectioner's sugar is also called powered sugar.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped pecans (You can use other chopped nuts, such as almonds or walnuts.)

Let's Cook!

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Use a wooden spoon or electric mixer (with help from an adult).
3. Add vanilla extract and blend well. Stir in four and salt; then add pecans. Use your clean hands to blend the dough.
4. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake one sheet at a time for about 20 minutes.
6. While cookies are baking, place confectioner's sugar in a plastic or paper bag.
7. Cool the cookies on a wire rack for 2–4 minutes. While the cookies are still warm, drop three or four into the bag of sugar. Shake the bag to coat the cookies. Return the cookies to the rack to cool completely. Continue until all the cookies are covered by sugar.

Makes 20–24 cookies.