Chocolate Snowball Cookies with Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cups walnuts (about 140 g)
• 1 and 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 110 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (*see cooking tip at end of recipe)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Finely chop 1/2 cup walnuts and set aside. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup walnuts in a food processor with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and process until very finely ground, about 1 minute. Add the butter and vanilla extract and process until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and process until most of the dough comes together. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dough to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
3. Form the dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls and spread them evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until they are cracked on top and almost set but still spring back slightly when pressed, about 18 minutes (the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; they should still be slightly warm for the first dusting of powdered sugar.
4. Meanwhile, place the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a shallow dish. Gently roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar to coat evenly. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes, then roll them again in powdered sugar until white.
   
   Cookies can be stored in a small amount of powdered sugar in a tightly sealed container for 1 week..
   
   
   * When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.