From Russia, With Love: Russian Teacakes

Well, perhaps not :-) A quick web search revealed Russian Teacakes don't actually come from Russia, and only urban legends as to how Russia is associated with them in the first place. No matter their origins, this much is clear: they are incredibly delicious, and made in countries all over the world!

Russian Teacakes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 additional cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy; blend in vanilla and salt. Add flour until combined, then stir in walnuts. Bring dough together with your hands (wrap tightly in plastic and chill for a few minutes if dough seems to soft at this stage).  Roll dough into one-inch balls and place an inch apart on lined baking sheets. Bake until set and just barely colored, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for two minutes, then roll immediately in powdered sugar and place on lined racks; once completely cooled, roll in powdered sugar again and store in an airtight container.

Notes: These are the first things I make when I start my holiday baking. The rich, buttery dough makes for a long-lasting cookie, and the flavor only improves with time. The dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a few days, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and flattened into a disc. Allow to come up to room temperature and proceed as above.

>o<