Danish Wedding Cookies

Danish wedding cookies similar to this recipe once were given as good luck symbols to couples celebrating their nuptials. The marriage of the walnuts and sugars represented “bumps in the road” and the “sweetness that coats a happy marriage.”

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• Confectioners' sugar for coating

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter in a large bowl until blended.
3. Add cream cheese, increase speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides with spatula.
4. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
5. Gently fold in flour and walnuts and stir until blended.
6. Lightly flour hands and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Gently press balls flat with the bottom of a small glass.
7. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until lightly browned and puffy, about 14 to 18 minutes.
8. Allow cookies to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; transfer to wire rack to cool briefly.
9. While cookies are still warm, toss them in a quart- or gallon-size plastic bag filled with confectioners' sugar.
10. Remove and return to wire rack to cool completely.
11. Repeat baking with remaining dough.

Attribution

Posted by LladyRusty at Recipe Goldmine 12/12/2001 11:52 pm.

Source: Cheryl Barnes - americanprofile.com