This is a fairly familiar Christmas cookie–nuts, fat, and flour coated in icing sugar. Growing up we had something like them called Russian Tea Balls. I like this version because the almond flour makes for a more crisp and smooth cookie than the one of my childhood. These are flavoured to be reminiscent of eggnog, but you could leave the nutmeg out of you’d like.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 48 cookies
– 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
– 2 tbsp corn flour
– 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
– 1/2 cup icing sugar
– 1 cup margarine
– 1 tbsp rum
– 2 tsp rum extract
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
– 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
– 2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
METHOD
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper
1. Whisk together almond flour, corn flour, nutmeg, and icing sugar.
2. Add margarine and mix into a smooth paste with a wooden spoon. Add rum and extracts and mix well.
3. Add flour and mix with the wooden spoon into a ball of dough.
4. Roll 2 tsp of dough into balls and place 1″ apart on the baking sheets (2 dozen per sheet if they are big enough).
5. Refrigerate the balls of dough while you preheat to the oven to 350 degrees with the racks in the top and bottom third of the oven.
6. Whisk remaining icing sugar and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
7. Bake for 20 mins, rotting the pans and switching racks after 10 mins. Cookies should be dry and firm and very slightly browned.
8. Let cool for 5 mins, then toss in batches in the icing sugar mixture. Let fully cool on a wire rack. If you are going to freeze these for later, do it now.
9. Toss again in the icing sugar before serving.
