My mother got this recipe for rich butter cookies from a French friend in the 1950s, and it’s been popular in our family ever since. Mom always made them in winter, and now my sister and I do the same.
—PHYLLIS DIETZ WESTLAND, MI
PREP: 25 MIN. + CHILLING • BAKE: 10 MIN./BATCH • MAKES: ABOUT 4 1/2 DOZEN
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
FILLING
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 drops yellow food coloring, optional
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and mix well.
2. Shape into two 14-in. rolls; reshape each roll into a 14x1 1/8x1 1/8-in. block. Wrap each block in plastic. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle half of the cookies with nuts, gently pressing into dough.
4. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove to wire racks to cool.
5. In a small bowl, cream the butter, lemon juice and orange peel until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Tint yellow if desired. Spread about 1 teaspoon on bottoms of the plain cookies; place nut-topped cookies over the filling.