Maple Walnut Snowballs

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, plus more for decoration
• 1 1/2 cups medium to fine ground walnuts
• 3 tablespoons amber (or darker) maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups flour

Method

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy.
2. Sift the confectioners sugar over the butter.  Cream for 1 minute.
3. Add nuts, maple syrup and vanilla and stir until blended.
4. Add the salt and flour 1 cup at a time until thoroughly mixed.  You might need to use a spatula or your hands to make sure there are no pockets of flour or butter.
5. Scrape the dough together and wrap in plastic.  Chill for 2 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 325F.
7. Line your baking trays with a silpat or parchment paper.
8. Roll teaspoons of chilled dough into 1 inch balls.  Place 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.  Put the trays into the oven for 5 minutes to rechill the dough.
9. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 18 - 20 minutes, until the tops are just firm and the bottoms golden brown.
10. Set the trays on a wire rack and cool for 3 minutes.
11. Fill a small bowl with icing sugar.  Roll the warm cookies in the sugar, coating them well and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.  Once cool either reroll them or liberally sift icing sugar over the cookies.
12. Can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature, but they won't last that long!