Chocolate Expresso Snowballs

By Wilda

Ingredients

• 2 sticks softened unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons instant expresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans
• Confectioner's sugar for coating

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour, cocoa, expresso powder and salt until thoroughly blended. Stir in pecans. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 325@ Lightly butter 2 cookie sheets. I use parchment so I don't have to grease. It also keeps them from getting too brown on bottom. Working in batch's, roll the dough into tablespoon size balls and place about 2" apart on the prepared cookir sheet. Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for 15 min, until the tops are dry and the cookies are slightly firm to touch.
Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 10 min, then transfer to a rack to cool completely; roll in confectioner's sugar to coat.

Makes about 3 dozrn cookies