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Greek Walnut Christmas Cookies

Source of Recipe


The Seattle Times






List of Ingredients



• 1 cup shelled walnuts
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1 Tbsp brandy
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
  






Instructions



1. Place the walnuts in a small baking pan and toast in a preheated 350-degree oven 10 minutes. Cool. Place in a food processor with a couple tablespoons granulated sugar and grind finely. Stir together the ground nuts, flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
   
   
2. With an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter with the remaining granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk, brandy and vanilla. On low speed, gently beat in the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Finish mixing the dough with your hands until completely incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the dough 1 hour.
   
   
3. Grease and flour 3 baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spread 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar in a shallow baking pan and set aside; put the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a fine sieve or sifter.
   
   
4. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, 13 to 15 minutes, until golden around the edges. Let the baked cookies sit on the baking sheets a few minutes.
   
   
5. Transfer hot cookies to the pan of powdered sugar and sift more on top. Transfer to cooling racks. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months. (Dust with powdered sugar before serving.)
   
   Makes about 32 cookies.