Vintage Cookie Recipe // Noel Balls

In my family, we have some old cookie recipes that we like to bake every year at Christmas time. Everybody is crazy about our Noel Balls, so I thought I'd share the recipe.

Mom's original recipe card calls them "Nut Butter Balls."

Noel Balls are crumbly cookies covered in powdered sugar. They're wonderful with coffee, tea, or milk. The almond extract smells heavenly and gives the cookies a distinct flavor. Nuts are optional. Some people make them with walnuts. My family prefers pecans. These cookies are always a big hit and really easy to make. We don't know why we don't make them more often!

Here's the recipe:

Noel Balls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 to 2 cups of finely chopped pecans

1 bag of confectioner's sugar to coat cookies

Mix butter & sugar until creamy

Add remaining ingredients, mix well

Chill dough until easy to handle

Heat oven to 350°F

Shape into 1" balls

Place on an ungreased cookie sheets

Bake until light brown

While still warm, roll in confectioner's suger

Makes 4-5 dozen