Snowball Surprise Cookies

Name: Snowball Surprise Cookies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: about 3 dozen.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/3 cup each finely chopped pecans, walnuts and almonds, toasted; 39 pink or blue candy coating disks

Keep the guests guessing until the big cake reveal! Use candy coating disks to tint the inside of these tender cookies pink and blue. Since these disks come in a variety of colors, you can also make the cookies to match any holiday or theme. —Jan Whitworth, Roebuck, South Carolina

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup each finely chopped pecans, walnuts and almonds, toasted
39 pink or blue candy coating disks

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Insert a candy disk into the center of each cookie, reshaping dough into a ball and covering disk completely.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Place remaining confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. Re-roll cookies if needed.

Originally published as Snowball Surprise Cookies in Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook 2016