Muddy Snowballs

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is of all the delicious foods that I consume, and more specifically, all of the different kinds of holiday cookies that I savor. I am sure that everyone has a go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and Christmas cornflake wreaths, but I am going to give you a new cookie recipe to add to your holiday baking repertoire.

This is a recipe that is not only loved by everyone in my family, but it is also frequently requested and quickly devoured by our friends and neighbors . . . Muddy Snowballs.

This year, give Muddy Snowballs a try.

They are fun and easy to make, and they are sure to be a hit with your family and friends. 

Muddy Snowballs

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans, carefully toasted
• 1 12 oz. bag of mini semisweet chocolate chips

“Muddy Dust” Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, the melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate, and the 3/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth. 
2. Scrape down the mixing bowl, and add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and stir until combined. 
3. Stir in the flour, salt, the finely chopped nuts and mini chocolate chips just until combined. 
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour or two or until it is firm enough to roll into balls.
5. Next, make the muddy dust: stir together the 1 cup powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a shallow bowl, until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
7. Form tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on the parchment-lined pans, leaving one inch in between the snowballs on the pans, and bake for about 10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are just set. (You want them to be slightly underdone inside). 
8. Cool on the baking sheets for about 3 minutes. 
9. Carefully roll the cookies in the muddy dust and set on clean parchment or waxed paper. Note: the cookies will be warm and delicate. Be gentle when rolling them. 
10. When the snowballs have thoroughly cooled, roll each one in a second coating of muddy dust. Store at room temperature in airtight containers. Makes about 4 dozen Muddy Snowballs.