the 34 cookies of Christmas: day 32

Our thirty-second day of the 34 cookies of Christmas 2006 brings us a new and interesting twist on a classic tea cookie. Alternately known as Russian Teacakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies, we have taken this "classic" recipe and modified it. Rather than using the traditional ground walnuts as the base for the cookie dough, we have substituted ground macadamia nuts, yielding a sticker and more flavorful cookie. Once baked, the cookies are more crumbly, a bit denser, and somewhat more moist. The flavor of the buttery macadamia nuts cuts through the confectioner's sugar coating, creating an enjoyably well-balanced cookie, that is just a bit different from expectations. We just can't decide on what to call them: Hawaiian Teacakes or Wedding Cookies...