A Sweet For Your Sweets

Now that the Super Bowl is over, it's time to focus on the upcoming holiday that's all about hearts & sweets. What I have for you today is the perfect tasty treat that you and your sweets (or girlfriends) will love. These little babies are known by a variety of names but I call them Mexican Wedding Cakes. They are perfect for your Valentine's Day celebrations (or any occasion really). Enjoy!

Mexican Wedding Cakes:

(original recipe found here) 

Ingredients:

- 2/3 cup pecans

- 1 cup (or 2 sticks) of unsalted butter, at room temperature

- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, separated

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 cups of all purpose flour, separated

- 1/4 tsp salt

- Cooking spray

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are lightly toasted and fragant.

3. Once toasted, set the nuts aside to cool. 

4. After the nuts have cooled, place the toasted pecans into a food processer with 2 tbsp of your flour, and pulse until they are completely ground. 

5. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar to the bowl of your electric mixer (or a large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer), and mix them together for about 2 minutes.

6. Mix in the vanilla extract, remaining flour, and salt, and continue mixing until combined. 

7. Add the pecans to the mixture and once fully combined, cover the mixture and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow it to firm up a bit. 

8. Preheat the oven to 350 again , and spray the bottom of two baking sheets with cooking spray.

9. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the dough from the mixing bowl and form into 1-inch balls, keeping them about an inch or two apart on the baking sheets. 

10. Bake the cookies at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes (or until the edges of the cookies start to brown). 

11. Remove from the oven once cooked, and let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes.

12. While the cookies are cooling, place the remaining cup of powdered sugar in a bowl.

13. Roll the warm cookies in the bowl of sugar one at a time, and place on a separate baking sheet (or wire rack) to cool.    

14. Optional: Leave the remaining sugar in the bowl and roll the cookies in more sugar before serving. 

Note: This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. 

Additional Note: They are addicting. You may want to eat them ALL!