Mexican Wedding Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for about 6-8 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted. (Alternatively, you could toast the pecans in a medium skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.) Let them cool completely before using, about 15 minutes on the counter.

Place the toasted pecans and 2 tablespoons of the flour into your food processor or blender and process until they are finely ground. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

With the mixer on low, gradually beat in the remaining all-purpose flour and salt until fully combined.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the ground nuts, and beat on low speed until combined.

Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten it into a medium disc. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour until chilled. (Alternatively, you could put the dough in the freezer for 40 minutes to speed up the process.)

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and form it into 1-inch balls. I was able to make about 26 cookies.

Place them in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove them from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

Roll each cookie in the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar to coat all sides. (The warmer the cookies, the more the powdered sugar turns into a paste, so don't rush the cooling process.)

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a week.