Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

VARIATION: Toasted Coconut Tea Cakes are a special treat for coconut lovers. Toast 3/4 cup coconut by baking uncovered in an ungreased shallow pan at 350 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Let coconut cool before adding to the dough.

NOTE: To ensure recipe success, do not use self-rising flour or vegetable oil spreads in this recipe. If needed, chill dough before rolling into balls. When rolling dough into balls, use a light touch, and do not handle very long. The dough will get hard, and become almost rock-like after baking if you over-handle. This has been a family favorite for almost 30 years. Once you start eating them, you cant stop. Ive seen and tasted many other recipes for "Snowball" cookies, but none have measured up to this one. Ive had many "rocks" in my time!

From The Betty Crockers Picture Cook Book. First Edition (Ninth Printing), published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. ~~at; 1950. Recipe typed in by Bobbie Beers. Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V3 #260 Date: Sun, 22 Sep 1996 21:47:06 -0400 From: BobbieB1~~at;aol.com