Polvorones de Cacahuate - Peanut Clouds

Serve these light little cookies with hot chocolate or bring to your next picnic.  The cookies are traditionally served at baptisms, fiestas, and even first communions.

polvorones de cacahuate: image by mailxmail.com

Servings:  6

1 cup raw peanuts without skins and coarse chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar, plus 1 cup, sifted
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven 325F (if making cookies immediately)

Use a small coffee or food process to chop the peanuts to a fine consistency but not into a paste.

In a bowl add the butter and the vegetable shortening  and beat with electric mixture until creamy.  Add the 1/2 powdered sugar and keep beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Place 3/4 of the flour (does not need to be precise) and salt in a sifter and sift into the shortening mixture.  Stir  until well-blended.   Add the ground nuts and the rest of the flour and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour but you can hold it overnight if you'd like.

Once chilled the cookies can be formed.  Take small pieces of dough and roll into small 3/4" balls.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

Bake about 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Spread the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow plate or pie plate. While the cookies are still warm roll them in the sugar coating them well.  Once they cool, roll them again.

Serve the cookies or store them between layers of parchment paper in a tightly lidded jar.  These cookies store well for several weeks.

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