Louisiana Pecan Balls

Heather Allen's parents made these tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies every year; now she makes them with her children. We thought they were the best of their kind.

Yield: Makes about 28 cookies

Ingredients

• About 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• 2  cups  powdered sugar
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1  cup  chopped pecans (about 4 oz.)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat until well blended. Stir in pecans.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 1 inch apart on buttered

12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

4. Bake in a 300º regular or convection oven until cookies are pale golden brown, about 25 minutes. If baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cookies stand on sheets until cool enough to handle.

5. Place remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar to coat all over; discard remaining sugar. Set cookies on racks to cool completely.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

143 (59% from fat)

Protein:

1.3g

Fat:

9.4g (sat 4.4)

Carbohydrate:

14g

Fiber:

0.5g

Sodium:

73mg

Cholesterol:

18mg