Pecan Logs, Russian Tea - Mexican Wedding Cakes

Ingredients:

This recipe is basicly the same cookie in 2 different shapes. It's like having two identical cookies with different fillings or something.

Basic Dough:
2 cups butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
a dash of salt
3 and 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached flour

Pecan Logs Dough:
Basic Dough Ingredients +
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Russian Tea Cakes / Mexican Wedding Cakes - Walnut Dough:
Basic Dough Ingredients +
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Step 1:

Basic Dough:

Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Step 2:

Fluffy:

Step 3:

Mix in vanilla extract. Measure 3 and 1/2 cups of flour into small bowl. Stir in salt. Add flour mixture 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing thoroughly to form, a stiff dough (you may need to add a little more flour if dough still looks oily).

Step 4:

Divide dough into halves; place one half in second bowl.

Into first bowl of dough mix in almond extract and 3/4 cup of pecans. In the second bowl of dough mix in walnut.

Cover bowls with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.

Step 5:

Pecan Dough:

Scoop teaspoonfuls of dough, and roll into 2 inch logs. Place logs onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart.

Step 6:

Bake cookies for 9 – 11 minutes at around 375-400F(watch carefully so that they do not brown other than a bit on the undersides). Transfer to cooling rack. Cool thoroughly.

Step 7:

Melt chocolate chips in small bowl over hot water.

Step 8:

Place reserved 1/4 cup chopped pecans into small bowl. Dip one end (top only) of each cooled cookie in chocolate then dip in chopped pecans. Place on wooden board for a few minutes to harden before storing.

In this pictures the pecan logs are the ones in the back on the left.

Store in airtight container.

Step 9:

Russian tea cakes / Mexican wedding cakes:

Scoop teaspoonfuls of dough, and roll into 3/4 - 1 inch balls. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies for 9 – 11 minutes at around 375-400F(watch carefully so that they do not brown other than a bit on the undersides). Transfer to cooling rack. Cool thoroughly.

Place powdered sugar in small bowl. Toss cooled cookies one at a time into bowl, coating thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.

Step 10:

Unpowdered and undipped cookies freeze well (up to 3 months).