Enter our L.A. Times Holiday Bake-Off and try this ultimate wedding cookie recipe

Have you submitted your favorite cookie recipe yet? There’s still time. Enter our sixth Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookie Bake-Off, and put your best up against the rest.

Check out this recipe for the ultimate wedding cookie from Bonnie Zanardi of Whittier. Perhaps you know them better as butterballs or tea cakes — even crescents if the cookies are simply shaped another way. Whatever you call them, wedding cookies are a longtime holiday favorite. Rich, crumbly and packed with chopped nuts, the cookies are rolled in powdered or granulated sugar before serving. Zanardi writes:

“Years ago, I saw the recipe printed on a bag of C&H sugar. It was so simple I almost ignored it. Sure glad I didn’t. It is the most requested cookie I bake. The only alteration I’ve made is the type of nuts used. ... Macadamia nuts take this recipe over the top.”

Think you can do better? Show us by entering our bake-off today. Entries must be submitted by Nov. 14 at midnight.

Click here to submit your cookie recipe, along with a short essay about why your cookie is such a holiday favorite. Include a photo if you can; voters will want to see proof.

Readers will vote online for their favorites. The top 20 cookie recipes will be tested and judged by our Food staff to determine the five finalists.

The finalists will be invited to the Los Angeles Times for a tour of the Test Kitchen, and will be photographed and featured, along with their recipes, in a Saturday section article during the holidays.

THE ULTIMATE WEDDING COOKIE

Total time: 1 hour | Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Note: Submitted by Bonnie Zanardi of Whittier.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups finely chopped macadamia nuts

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter with one-half cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and nuts. Beat the flour mixture slowly into the butter over low speed if using a stand mixer, or gently stir the flour into the butter mixture by hand until evenly combined to form a dough.

4. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls (about 1 rounded teaspoon of dough per cookie); if the dough is too soft to roll, chill it in the refrigerator until it is easy to handle. Place the cookies at least 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

5. While the cookies are still hot, gently roll them once in the remaining powdered sugar, then place the cookies on a rack to cool. After the cookies have cooled, roll them again in the remaining powdered sugar.

6. Store the cookies in tightly sealed plastic bags; they also freeze well.

Each of 5 dozen cookies: 90 calories; 1 gram protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 7 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 8 mg cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 6 mg sodium.

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

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