Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cakes

Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cakes
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for rolling
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.

Add Vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.

Add Nuts: Stir in the finely chopped pecans or walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Shape Dough: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly browned. The cookies will still be soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.

Cool and Roll in Sugar: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled, roll the cookies in powdered sugar until they are generously coated.

Optional Second Coating: For an extra sugary coating, roll the cookies in powdered sugar again after they have fully cooled.

Serving:
Serve the cookies at room temperature. They make a great treat for holidays, special occasions, or any time you want a sweet, nutty, chocolatey bite.