It’s that time again – cookies, cookies and more cookies!

Always the first to be gobbled up out of my repertoire of holiday treats are Lydia’s Butter Balls.

Lydia’s gone, but her recipe brings sweet thoughts of her to mind.  Mother of an old friend, Lydia had to make this friend an entire batch of butter balls every holiday.  This old friend (and roommate for a few years) would hide the tin under her bed so as not to have to share them.  Occasionally one cookie would be doled out as payment for a favor!  Maybe you are still friends with Lydia’s daughter, in which case, my holiday gift suggestion for her would be a tin of these cookies.

I like to make them on the big side – they take just a tad longer to bake.

 Lydia’s Butter Balls

Makes about 3 dozen 1″ balls

1 cup butter (softened) 

4 teaspoons sifted powdered sugar (plus about a cup for rolling)

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 cups sifted flour 

1 cup coarse and finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream butter, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. 

Add vanilla. 

Add sifted flour and mix well. 

Fold in chopped pecans and shape into small balls.  

Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. 

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly then roll in powdered (confectioner’s) sugar.

Don’t have time to do any baking for the holidays?  Check out the “baked” offerings at wkf.com

Our Italian cookie assortment from the “Hill” is a very popular and often re-ordered item – and we have some cute containers to go with them!