Chile-Spiked Mexican Wedding Cakes

One of my all-time favorite cookies. And quite possibly the only recipe from The Splendid Table that has actually worked for me. What I love about this cookie is you pick it up, thinking it's going to be yet another Italian wedding cookie -- a cookie you'll enjoy but immediately forget.

Instead, you bight into this and there's a hint of sweetness, an undertone of heat, and an overall sense of Je ne sais quoi that keeps one going back for more.

Chile-Spiked Mexican Wedding Cakes
The Splendid Table

1	c pecan, lightly toasted, in pieces
1	c unsalted butter, softened
1/2	c sugar
2 tsps	vanilla extract
2	c flour
1/2 tsp	salt
1/2 tsp	cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp	cinnamon
1/2	c powdered sugar

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pecans until coarsely ground. Add the butter and pulse until combined. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, cayenne and cinnamon and pulse just to combine.

Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two 2 baking sheets with parchment.

When ready to bake, let the dough warm to room temperature so that it is pliable but still cold. Using about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll the dough into like-size balls. Place them on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to keep them from rolling.

Bake until slightly browned on the bottom, about 12 minutes. Let them cool completely. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the cooled cookies and dust with additional spices if desired.

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