These taste better than they look. They are a mild cookie, the recipe makes a gazillion, and they stay soft. It is an old-fashioned recipe made with ingredients that you probably have on-hand. The only annoying part of the recipe is the chill time, because you need to plan ahead a few hours. I suspect that you could use any type of nut, if you have an aversion to walnuts.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Put two cups of walnuts in a large baggie and pulverize them with a rolling pin. You want them to still be in pieces, not a powder. Set aside.
Mix 1 cup softened butter, 2 cups packed brown sugar, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix in 3 and ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups of the walnuts, mix, and then roll the dough into two 15-inch rolls. Press the remaining nuts along the rolls and wrap them in plastic wrap. Pop the rolls in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
When the dough is firm, slice it into 1/4 wide cookies and place on a greased baking sheet or a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until slightly browned. Check your first batch to adjust timing -you want them soft.
I like walnuts and these sound very good. Have you ever tried freezing the dough? If it makes a lot it might be nice to keep some of it in the freezer to have on hand for unexpected guests or when you’re jonesing for cookies.
I have not tried freezing the dough, but see no reason why you couldn’t? Butcher might know this answer.
These look great, and I bet I’d love them. But unfortunately no baking with tree nuts around my husband 😕. I’d sub peanuts, but there are already great recipes for peanut butter cookies.
They seem like they’d remind me of those old fashioned pecan Christmas cookies – do you know the ones I mean? I love those things.
@BigDamnHeroes Pecan sandies? Those were my favorite cookies as kid.
Oh I’ve heard that name, but I never connected it to those cookies haha! There was just always a plate of homemade ones at Christmas parties, so I don’t know if I was ever told a name for them… But looking it up, some of the images definitely look right – kind of ball shaped, dusted in powdered sugar.
There are a few variations on that theme. If they have almonds they are Italian wedding cookies, if they have brandy or orange juice, kourambiethes. I can never eat them without getting powdered sugar on myself.