Daily Dose: Walnut Shortbread Cookies

The port glazed grape tart I made a few days ago was delicious, but my favorite part was definitely the walnut crust.  It wasn't too sweet and had a great nutty flavor and crumbly texture.  So today I skipped the filling and made walnut shortbread cookies instead.   Don't have walnuts?  Use pecans or almonds (yum!).  No matter which nut you use, these cookies won't last long!  Enjoy!

Walnut Shortbread Cookies
(Recipe modified from JoyOfBaking)

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

Lightly toast the walnuts in a pan over medium heat.  Let cool.  Reserve 1/2 cup and coarsely chop. 

In a food processor or blender, pulse the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts with 1/3 cup brown sugar until finely ground (be careful, don't let it become a paste).  In a medium sized bowl place the walnut mixture, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and whisk to combine.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and remaining 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. 

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the flour mixture, mixing only until incorporated.  Stir in the chopped walnuts.  

Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove one half of the dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll to1/4 inch thickness.  Then, with a lightly floured cookie cutter, cut shapes. Place the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up the cookie dough.  Roll and cut out the remaining cookies.

For a crunchy and crumbly cookie bake for approximately 13-15 minutes or until the shortbreads are a deep brown color. For a softer texture, cook for a shorter time period, until light brown.  Remove cookies from oven and cool on a wire rack.  

Walnut Shortbread Cookies
(Recipe modified from JoyOfBaking)



Ingredients:


1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger 

Directions:

1. Lightly toast the walnuts in a pan over medium heat.  Let cool.  Reserve 1/2 cup and coarsely chop. 

2. In a food processor or blender, pulse the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts with 1/3 cup brown sugar until finely ground (be careful, don't let it become a paste).  In a medium sized bowl place the walnut mixture, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and whisk to combine. 
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and remaining 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. 
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the flour mixture, mixing only until incorporated.  Stir in the chopped walnuts.  Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour). 
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove one half of the dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll to1/4 inch thickness.  Then, with a lightly floured cookie cutter, cut shapes. 
6. Place the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up the cookie dough.  Roll and cut out the remaining cookies.
7. For a crunchy and crumbly cookie bake for approximately 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are a deep brown color. For a softer texture, cook for a shorter time period, until light brown.  Remove cookies from oven and cool on a wire rack.