Ginger-Macadamia Nut Snowballs

Name: Ginger-Macadamia Nut Snowballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: about 5 dozen.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cup plus 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest; 2 teaspoons lemon extract; 2-1/4 cups cake flour; 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts; 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger

You’ll go nuts over these ginger-spiced cookies, made with love and coated with sweet confectioners’ sugar to look like snow. —Jenny Humphries, Ocean View, Hawaii

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in lemon zest and lemon extract. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Stir in macadamia nuts and ginger. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned.
Roll warm cookies in remaining confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. When cooled, roll cookies again in confectioners' sugar.

Originally published as Lemon-Ginger Snowballs in Taste of Home December/January 2013