Mini Date Nut Snowballs Food

WALNUT EGGNOG SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the walnuts on another baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and add the rum and vanilla; let soak at least 30 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and the salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, egg yolk and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the walnut-rum mixture until fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until combined. Turn out the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls and arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Bake until light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans.
• Put the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a medium bowl. Gently roll the warm cookies in the confectioners' sugar mixture. Transfer to a rack to cool completely; the cookies will firm up as they cool. Once cool, reroll in the confectioners' sugar mixture.

TRIPLE NUT SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and cinnamon; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Pulse nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Mix nuts into dough., Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans 10 minutes., Place remaining confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Roll slightly cooled cookies in sugar; return cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Roll cookies in sugar again just before serving.

WONDERFUL DATE AND NUT MINI LOAF BREADS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease four 6x3-inch mini loaf pans.
• In a bowl sift first 5 ingredients.
• Combine 1/4 of the flour mixture with the chopped dates and nuts; toss to coat.
• In another bowl combine butter and sugar; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add in eggs and beat well then add in the vanilla, almond extract, and beat for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add in dry ingredients alternately with milk beating after each addition.
• Fold in the dates/flour mixture by hand, then spoon into prepared mini loaf pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until loaves test done.

JAM FILLED PECAN SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Place pecans, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse machine on and off to break up nuts, then process until nuts are finely ground. Add butter a few pieces at a time, pulsing on and off to incorporate, then process until mixture is smooth; pulse in vanilla. Add flour and pulse machine on and off until incorporated, scraping the dough down once or twice. Process until the dough begins to form a ball.
• REMOVE dough from machine, form into a very flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls. Dough may be refrigerated overnight.**
• LINE two rimmed jelly-roll pans with parchment paper. Roll dough between lightly floured palms into 1-inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheets 2-inches apart. Make an indentation with your thumb or finger in center of each cookie to make a deep well, going about three-quarters of the way down into the cookie. If cracks form, simply press any cracks together.
• BAKE 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown on the bottoms and around the edges. Place cookie sheets on cooling racks; sift remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar over warm cookies. Immediately fill the indentations with jelly and allow to cool completely.
• *To toast pecans: Place pecans in dry nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat, shaking pan until nuts are lightly browned.
• **You may freeze dough up to 1 month; defrost in refrigerator overnight before proceeding
• Cookies may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; these are best stored in single layers separated by waxed or parchment paper.

SNOWBALLS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the flour, pecans, and salt. Roll about 1 tablespoon or so of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until bottoms are golden, about 15 minutes. Do not allow these cookies to get too brown: it's better to undercook them than to overcook them. While cookies are still hot, roll them in confectioners' sugar. Once they have cooled, roll them in confectioners' sugar once more.

DATE SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Combine dates. butter and egg in a saucepan.
• Cook on low heat for 10 minutes till dates are really soft.
• Stir often, allow to cool.
• Add vanilla , salt and crushed cereal, mix well.
• Roll into small balls, coat in coconut.
• Allow to set in fridge for 2 or 3 hours.