Glazed Butternut Balls

These pretty little egg-shaped shortbread cookies get their character from finely chopped nuts folded right into a buttery, tender dough. The base is classic shortbread chemistry. Just butter, powdered sugar, flour, and salt, with no leavening to interfere with the cookie’s signature delicate snap. Two cups of finely chopped nuts add nutty depth and a slight sandy texture that holds up beautifully to the glaze. Once baked and cooled, half of each cookie gets dipped in either a simple powdered-sugar glaze or melted chocolate, then immediately rolled in shredded coconut, finely chopped nuts, colored sugar, or sprinkles before the coating sets. The half-dipped, half-bare presentation lets the buttery cookie show through while still feeling festive enough for cookie tins and holiday cookie swaps. Soft inside, slightly crumbly outside, and easy to bake a couple of days ahead.

Pro Tips

• Cream the butter and powdered sugar thoroughly before adding flour. Properly creamed butter is the foundation of tender shortbread.
• Use room-temperature butter, not melted. Melted butter produces flat, greasy cookies instead of those signature dome shapes.
• Walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts all work beautifully. Pick whichever pairs best with the toppings you plan to use.
• Bake until just barely golden on the bottoms. Overbaked shortbread turns dry and crumbly fast.

Variations

• Use butternut flavoring or 1 teaspoon of almond extract in the dough for an extra layer of nutty flavor.
• Roll the warm baked cookies in powdered sugar instead of glazing for a Mexican-wedding-cookie style.
• Drizzle melted dark chocolate in stripes across the cookies after the glaze sets for a striking two-tone look.