12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Cocoons

One of the reasons I wanted to do this 12 Days of Christmas Cookie series was because I wanted to share some of the recipes that define the holidays for me.  Do you have those?  Recipes that just scream “It’s Christmas” to you and your family?  We have several, including this cookie.  These cookies are very similar to Mexican Wedding Cookies, except they are made with chopped pecans and shaped into cocoons instead of balls or crescents.  This recipe came from my mother’s sister’s mother-in-law (got that connection?) and I assume that it was a recipe that was handed down to her.  It’s just that kind of cookie.  And it wouldn’t be the holidays if we didn’t make these.

Cocoons – makes about 2½ dozen

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar, for coating

Mix butter, flour, pecans, sugar, and vanilla together.  This can be done by hand, but I prefer to mix it with a mixer (stand or hand).  You want everything to be well combined and the butter to be creamed into rest of the ingredients.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.

Preheat oven to 325°.  Line baking sheets with parchment or grease them.  Take a small amount of dough (use your best judgment, but I would say it’s more than 1 teaspoon and less than 1 tablespoon – exact, right?) and form cocoons.  The cocoons should be about the length of your little finger and a little fatter.  Arrange the cookies about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes until they are a light golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool on the pan until they are cool enough to handle (3-5 minutes).  Mound about a cup of powdered sugar on a piece of wax paper and coat the still-warm cocoons on all sides with powdered sugar.  Place on a wire rack to cool completely and repeat with remaining cocoons.