cookies, glorious cookies

Good thing I'm heading to Minnesota tomorrow and can share the abundance of cookies! I'm really looking forward to going home, not just to see family, but also to see friends. One has a new baby, one has a new house AND is expecting, and one has a great new job as a film editor. My New Year's party is at a friend's lake home, and the plan is to ice skate, but it's uncertain if the lake will be frozen by then. Hopefully Jack Frost will stop slacking off and get to work. Crack the whip, Old Man Winter!

Today's recipe is a great one. It makes a small batch, so you may want to double it if you're baking for a crowd.

Kanelkakor ~ Swedish Walnut-Cinnamon Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1/3 C. butter, room temperature
2/3 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1.25 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ C. finely chopped walnuts
2 T. cinnamon
2 T. sugar

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla until light. Sift flour with baking powder and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Add to the creamed mixture, blending well. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the walnuts, 2 T. cinnamon, and 2 T. sugar in a small bowl.

Shape chilled dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll each ball in the walnut-cinnamon mixture. Place on prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden and set. Do not overbake.

This recipe is from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book, by Beatrice Ojakangas (University of Minnesota Press, 1988)

Beth sent me a great holiday package for the SOSF ornament swap. Such cute little reindeer! Thanks, Beth! It's looking very festive around here now.