Holiday Treats: Grandma Edith's Snowball Meltaways

//Simple and light, these little puffs are a nice addition to a holiday gift basket. This recipe is much like others, except it calls for browning the butter, giving the meltaway a richer, fuller flavor.

Grandma Edith’s Snowball Meltaways

3 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter

¼ cup of sifted confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 ½ cups of sifted flour

Pinch of salt

½ cup of finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

2 cups of sifted confectioner’s sugar for dusting

In a heavy sauce pan, over low heat, melt butter and heat until a light brown color.  Transfer browned butter into a mixing bowl and chill until firm,

Cream browned butter, ¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Gradually add flour.  Mix in nuts. Chill for at least 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.  

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.  These will not spread, so you can pack them in tight.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until a little golden.

In the meantime, place 2 cups of sifted confectioner’s sugar on a plate.  When the cookies are done baking, remove them from the oven and roll in sugar while still hot.  Cool on a wire rack.