Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 4 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups ground walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium 1 to 3 minutes or until almost melted. Stir until smooth. In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed 1 minute or until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add melted chocolate; beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
2. In medium bowl, stir flour, ground walnuts, baking powder and salt until well-blended. At low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. Heat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into 1-inch balls; place 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, 15 to 18 minutes or until surfaces are dry and slightly cracked and bottoms are lightly browned. (Surfaces will not brown.) Cool on baking sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. (Cookies will be very tender and slightly moist in center; they will firm up as they cool.) Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Place powdered sugar in wide shallow bowl. Lightly roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Place on wire rack; cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar again. Store in airtight container, separating layers with waxed or parchment paper. Roll in powdered sugar once more before serving, if desired.

Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies

PER COOKIE: 80 calories, 4.5 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 1 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 10 mg cholesterol, 25 mg sodium, .5 g fiber