I have many food aspirations, but the highest ranking right now is to become a better baker. In reality, it should be labeled “Become a good a baker as Willa Mae,” because that is the level I aspire to.

The aforementioned Willa Mae is a lovely elderly lady my mom visits and does errands for at a local retirement home in KC, who often gifts my mother with her latest baked goods. Back in high school Willa Mae’s zucchini bread was unbeatable (still is), and now every Christmas her cookies are just beyond to die for. Perfection. All her own recipes (now that is art) and all delicious.

My mom passed this recipe along to me after declaring it “The best cookie I have ever eaten,” which is really saying something. I loved the recipe. It has all the great quirks of a seasoned and creative baker – steaming the apricots, specifying store-brand vanilla wafers, and then the best instruction of all – you have to let the cookies sit for at least 4 days to let the flavors develop.

It sounds like torture to wait (it was), but it is incredibly important you do! I tried the cookies right away and then the next day, and found them to be just okay – but I didn’t lose faith. I tried them again 4 days later and it was like magic. The texture had solidified, the almond had mellowed, and everything seemed to gel. They were divine. It was so mind-boggling how different (and better) they tasted, I couldn’t get over it! So I ate another… and another… and another…

–

Willa Mae’s Apricot Balls

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups crushed vanilla wafers (I used about ¾ of a 9 ounce box and Willa Mae specifically says to use store-brand wafers because they’re less sweet than name brand)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted and divided
• 1 cup dried apricots
• ¼ cup light corn syrup (Karo brand preferred)
• 1 tablespoon almond extract

Directions

1.) Using a small saucepan and strainer (or even better, a pot with a steamer insert), steam the apricots until softened, stirring occasionally, about 6-7 minutes. Set aside to cool and then chop into very small pieces.

2.) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, toss together the crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, ½ cup of the powdered sugar. Add the apricots, corn syrup, and almond extract. Mix until you have good dough.

3.) Roll into ½-tablespoon sized balls with both hands. Pour the remaining ¼ cup powdered sugar into a large ziploc bag, add the balls a few at a time, and roll around until evenly covered in sugar.

4.) Store in an air-tight container and let sit 4-5 days before eating. No, really!

5 Responses to “willa mae’s apricot balls”