Countdown to Christmas - Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to squeeze this recipe in while you still had your ovens going. It makes a really nice cookie and while it's not an heirloom recipe, it does harkens back to the days when candy was eaten rather than used as a baking ingredient. That, of course, never prevented adventuresome cooks from making creative equivalents to use in their cookies, especially once chocolate chips were available to them. This recipe probably dates back to the mid 1970's when macadamia were first marketed for cooks here in the states. This is an easy cookie to make, but I have a caution or two to share with you. The cookies can be bland if the butter or nuts you use are not salted. That can be remedied with the addition of 1/4 teaspoon table salt that will greatly improve the flavor of the finished cookies. It is also important to chill, but not over-chill, the cookie dough. It has to be cold enough to shape, but malleable enough to cover the chocolate-nut filling. I usually make the filling before the cookie dough, so I can better gauge readiness for assembly. Sometimes, I actually get it right. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how these cookies are made.

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Cookie Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 jar (3-1/2 ounces) Macadamia nuts, finely chopped
Cookie Filling
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
1/2 cup Macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
C0nfectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) To prepare dough: Combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. On low speed, gradually add flour. Add nuts. Dough will be stiff. Cover and chill.
2) To prepare filling, melt chocolate chips. Stir in nuts and cool slightly. Drop by small teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4) Shape chilled teaspoons of dough around each piece of chocolate-nut mixture until completely covered. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5) Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar and cool on wire racks. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

                    

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