These cookies are rolled in confectioners' sugar while warm, which gives them a thin buttery frosting.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

　　1/2 preparedBasic Butter Cookie Dough at room temperature

　　1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

　　2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

　　1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired

　　about 2 cups confectioners' sugar

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

In bowl of a standing electric mixer beat together all ingredients except confectioners' sugar until just combined well. Form dough into 1-inch balls and arrange about 3/4 inch apart on baking sheets.

　　

Step 3

Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until just firm and beginning to brown, about 18 minutes, and cool on baking sheets 5 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl. After the 5 minutes cooling, toss balls, a few at a time, in confectioners' sugar, coating them well and transferring them as coated to trays to cool completely. (Before balls are stored or frozen, they can be coated lightly again in confectioners' sugar to keep them from sticking to each other.) Cookies may be stored between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to 6 weeks frozen.