Everyone loves snowball cookies (also called Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, etc.), it seems, and they are easy and quick to make. Store bought versions of these cookies are not generally good, as they are made with shortening or margarine instead of butter. While on a trip to Honolulu, my friend Margaret gave me a Macadamia Nut Snowball that was produced by a Hawaiian company called Big Island Delights. It was delicious (albeit expensive), and the ingredients were simply flour, sugar, butter, macadamia nuts, baking soda, and vanilla - nothing else. No preservatives, no margarine, no junk. Since the cost of ordering them online is fairly prohibitive, and most of us can't be in Hawaii every time we crave one of these cookies, I decided to clone them. The following Macadamia Nut Snowballs are the final result of testing, and are, according to the Official Hancock Tasters and several co-workers, incredible. Sorry, Big Island Delights – my clones contain a bigger percentage of butter, as well as more macadamia nuts and are even better than yours!

Macadamia nuts are readily available, and if you can only find the salted version, simply put them in a fine strainer, rinse off the salt, and put them on the baking sheet to toast; they will crisp up while toasting. This recipe is easiest made in the food processor, but if one isn't available, it can be done by hand or in a mixer. The key is to use real, high quality butter, and to toast the macadamia nuts before chopping. Uniform cookies can be made by scooping balls of dough with a 1/2 tablespoon size scoop, then quickly rolling them with your hands to make them into perfect balls. Macadamia Nut Snowballs are great freshly baked, but they are even better after they have been kept in an airtight container for a few days so the butter flavor has had a chance to permeate the cookies.


96 Cookies

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, (no subs), cut into pieces
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour

2 cups powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and toast, 8-10 minutes, until they begin to brown and smell good. Remove from the oven to cool.
3. Measure the powder sugar (2 cups), salt, butter, vanilla, and flour into the bowl of a large food processor.
4. Pulse several times, and add the nuts.
5. Process until the nuts are finely chopped and the dough comes together. Alternately, finely chop the toasted macadamia nuts, cream the butter and sugar, add the remaining ingredients, and proceed the recipe as above.
6. Scoop 1/2 tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
7. Bake 14-18 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Do not overbake.
8. Remove from the oven and dust with some of the additional powdered sugar.
9. Cool Thoroughly.
10. Place the cookies in a large airtight container.
11. Pour the remaining powdered sugar over.
12. Put the lid on the container and shake gently to coat all of the cookies thoroughly.
13. Store for up to two weeks at room temperature.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 87 Calories from Fat 49
Percent Total Calories From:
Fat 56% Protein 3% Carb. 41%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 48 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 1 g

Vitamin A 3% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 1%