Chocolate-Filled Russian Tea Cakes

Prep Time: 1 Hour Start to Finish: 1 Hour 30 Minutes 4 dozen cookies

• Cookies
• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 48 milk chocolate stars
• Sugar Coating
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon red sugar
• 1 tablespoon green sugar

1 Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, beat butter, ½ cup powdered sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, salt and walnuts.

2 For each cookie, shape slightly less than 1 measuring tablespoon of dough around chocolate star to make 1-inch ball. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

3 Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set and bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix sugar coating ingredients.

4 Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets; roll in sugar coating. Place on cooling racks; cool completely, about 30 minutes. Roll in sugar coating again.

1 Cookie: Calories 100; Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 3.5g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 45mg; Total Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 1g Exchanges: 1 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1

Festive Touch For cookies with more dazzle, use coarse red and green sparkling sugars.