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| Cardamom and Fig Snowballs |
One of the most popular bake sale cookies is the snowball! There are as many different names for this cookie as there are slight variations. It seems like most every culture has their own, with just a little twist. This is my take on the snowball, incorporating flavors that I love. There's cardamom, a citrusy, spicy-sweet flavor that pairs well with a little orange flavor. Then the fig filling, an alternative to the date filled variety, adds a tiny crunch against the smooth melt in your mouth cookie.
Cardamom and Fig Snowballs
1 slightly heaping C. walnuts
2 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cardamom
1 C. unsalted butter
1/2 C. + 1 1/4 C. powdered sugar, divided
2 t. orange liqueur
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Fig Filling (recipe below)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pulse walnuts in the food processor until finely ground.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, with a mixer, beat the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar at medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the orange liqueur and the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Allow the dough to sit while you make the filling (see below).
Scoop the dough with a tablespoon size scoop and roll it into a ball in your hands. Push a knuckle into the ball to make an indent. Add 1/8 teaspoon of the fig filling and bring up the sides of the dough, closing the hole. Roll the cookie back into a ball and place on the cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 11 minutes, just until they begin to get color, but not browned.
When baked, remove the sheet from the oven, and while still warm, roll the cookies in a small bowl with the 1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until coated. Cool completely on a wire rack, then roll once more.
Fig Filling
About 8 Calimyrna figs
1 1/2 T. orange liqueur
In a food processor, pulse the figs and the orange liqueur until smooth and the mixture just begins to form a ball.
Notes:
- The OXO measuring beakers are really great for measuring liquids. They worked really well for the vanilla and the orange liqueur. I love that they have odd measurements that you wouldn't find with regular measuring spoons...someone at OXO must know how bad I am with math!
- Use any orange liqueur you'd like. You can use Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Trip Sec, etc. There are so many!
- If you've got something against figs...gasp...or just want to make a quick and easy cookie, skip the filling altogether...the recipe still works perfectly!
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