Ingredients:
7 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
About 15 walnut halves (or substitute pecans)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with the vanilla sugar and confectioners’ sugar until creamy. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Using your hands, roll the batter into small balls, the size of a walnut. Place them on the lined baking sheet and gently press a nut into each (this will flatten them a little).
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until barely golden. Make sure they don’t brown.
4. Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes, then roll them—while still hot—in confectioners’ sugar to coat. Let them cool completely, and then roll them in confectioners’ sugar once more. Yields about 15 cookies
This Walnut and Sugar Cookies Recipe was reprinted from Home Made Summer by Yvette von Boven, published by Stewart, Tabori and Chang, an imprint of Abrams, 2012.