Cream CheeseWalnut Cookies
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese (not whipped), room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups walnut halves (1 1/2 cups toasted and chopped; 1 cup finely chopped)
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
- Put the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in the sugar and vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low.
- Add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
- Mix in the toasted walnuts.
- On a clean work surface, divide dough in half; shape each piece into an 8 1/2-inch-long log (about 2 inches in diameter).
- Wrap each log in parchment paper; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- Remove one log from the freezer.
- Roll the log in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, coating it completely.
- Cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
- Transfer the rounds to parchment-lined sheets.
- Bake, switching the positions of the sheets and rotating halfway through, until the cookies are golden around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough using cooled baking sheets.
allpurpose, salt, unsalted butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, walnut halves
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cream-cheese-walnut-cookies-393179 (may not work)