The pile of cookie recipes on the kitchen counter is dwindling and it looks like I might be finished baking sometime early next week. Different shapes, textures, flavours and sizes make an interesting assortment on a tray and two batches of each variety is usually enough to enjoy with plenty to give away.
These cookies are surely kin to the Mexican Wedding Cookies for which I have previously posted a recipe. Again, no apparent Mexican spices can be found in them and I’m not sure why someone saw fit to call them Mexican Mocha Balls unless Mexican Chocolate was called for in the original recipe.
I usually make them each year not only because they are delicious and quite easy to make but their texture and taste is a little different from the rest of the cookies.
This year while rolling these cookies in granulated sugar for finishing touches they reminded me of little chocolate snowballs. I began thinking of possible new names and finally decided to rename them Mocha Cherry Snowballs.
This recipe was not in the plan to post therefore steps of preparation pictures are not available but rest assured that they are a very simple cookie to make not requiring much explanation.
No matter what these cookies are called it doesn’t change the fact that they make a tasty addition to any cookie assortment whether they be Mexican or not!
Mocha Cherry Snowballs (a.k.a. Mexican Mocha Balls)
1 cup butter or margarine (hard margarine) at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts etc.)
1/3 cup drained and chopped maraschino cherries
granulated sugar to roll them in after baking
- With mixer beat together margarine/butter vanilla and sugar.
- In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa, instant coffee and salt.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
- Stir in nuts and maraschino cherries.
- Form into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven. for 20 minutes.
- While still warm, roll in granulated sugar.
- Cool completely on rack.
Notes, Tips and Suggestions
- Blend the nuts and maraschino cherries by hand, it’s much easier.
- If the dough seems a little dry just keep working it with your hands until it comes together.
- Use a good quality cocoa, it makes all the difference.
- These cookies freeze well.
i love these cookies. i agree that the texture is probably one of their greatest assets. in fact, i believe 'texture' is the new 'taste'!
ReplyDeletealso amazing how maraschino cherries - probably one of the most vile foods on the planet right after anchovies - find their way into this cookie, yet add a nice moisture and colour.
a lesson to be learned! even the most vile things can have a purpose!
To the Cookie Monster in my life...
DeleteIt's interesting how this "vile" ingredient does a good job of adding moisture and taste to this cookie and if chopped up very fine has a way of becoming a mystery ingredient.
That's as good a purpose as any I say!!
can you roll these in sugar before you bake them or do you HAVE to do it after and how many does this recipe make.
ReplyDeleteHi Marianne,
DeleteI believe rolling them in the sugar after baking is the way to go. I'm not absolutely sure but if they are rolled before baking the sugar may start to melt while baking cementing the cookies to the baking sheet.
It would be a good idea to test a cookie or two rolled in sugar before baking and see what happens. Let me know how it works out if you decide to experiment.
I checked my recipe and it didn't give a yield and that's probably why I didn't state it. I didn't count mine but around 30 to 35, maybe a few more.
Thanks for asking questions, I love to answer them!