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Noel Nut balls


Oops, I forgot to post my day 4 recipe for the marathon, I did post day 5 with the chocolate cake! Anyway barring that mistake, this would be the day 6 of the marathon and the 11th in my books (confusing numbers eh?!) Well these are yet another batch of cookies that I made to be sent to friends this year- absolutely delicious people!
A success story modified from the Martha Stewart recipe for Noel Nut balls, I am beginning to like her cookie recipes...


Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp orange juice
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans (best if chopped by hand)
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp clove powder

  • Method
  • Cream butter and honey until fluffy. Add orange juice, and beat to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pecans, confectioners' sugar, and salt, nutmeg, clove powder. Add to the butter mixture, and beat to combine. Flatten the dough in two halves as discs. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the flattened discs into about 1/2 inch wide pieces, sort of criss-cross. Take each piece and shape them into circles.
  • Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake until brown around the edges, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Roll in confectioners' sugar to coat.
Judgement

These cookies are delicious with the perfect amount of sweetness and crunchiness. They melt in your mouth- you gotta give them a try!
I will BE off to visit friends in DC today, so I am not sure if I can keep posting but just in case I cannot

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY 2010, HOPEFULLY 2010 WILL BRING IN A LOT OF FUN AND EXCITEMENT!!

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Comments

  1. Tempting nut balls. Wishing u and ur family a very Happy New year 2010.

    Chitchat
    http://chitchatcrossroads.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely recipe! Wish you a very Happy New Year, as well!

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow..these looks so good. A hint of honey and orange shld taste great.
    www.foodlyrics.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you all- and hope you had a blast on the New Year's eve!

    ReplyDelete

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