In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy and light. This will be the rich, creamy base of your dough.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Slowly add this mixture into the creamed butter mixture a little at a time, mixing until incorporated.

Fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough. The nuts give the cookies a rich, earthy flavor and a satisfying crunch.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 1 ½ inches apart on a cookie sheet. Since they don’t spread much, you can fit quite a few per pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for about 20 minutes, or until set and lightly golden on the bottom.

Let the cookies cool slightly on a wire rack, then roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar until fully coated. For a more dramatic “snowball” look, roll them again in sugar once they’ve cooled completely.