The holiday baking continues!
Here is another Christmas cookie recipe from my family. My mom found this in our newspaper years ago and it’s just one of those recipes that always tastes like the holidays to me.
I also have a soft spot for these cookies because they are a little more unique than the usual thumbprint-style cookie. Chewy Walnut Treasures feature a brown sugar-based dough filled with a walnut mixture that is both sweet and a bit tangy. The filling cooks with the cookie so it comes out chewy- like a soft caramel.
The cookies can also be stacked on top of each other after they are baked since the filling sets during the baking process. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
A few days ago, before we got our most recent snowfall, we took the dogs out for a hike and I snapped some photos. The trail we chose was mostly vertical and very unforgiving. But the best part about it is the view you get to see at the top.
The dogs even got worn out by the end but they had a blast- playing in the snow, finding elk bones, and running ahead of us. Such a life.
Happy baking!
How to make this high altitude adjusted recipe:
Chewy Walnut Treasures
Adapted from recipe by Amy Sitze
- For the cookies:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- For the filling:
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- To make the cookie dough, cream the brown sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt until blended.
- Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together.
- Roll the dough into 1" balls and place 2" apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Using your fingertips, make an indentation into the cookies, leaving a ¼" border.
- Place the cookie sheets in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to chill. Chilled cookies spread less and keep their shape better.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: combine the brown sugar, sour cream, cinnamon, and walnuts until smooth.
- Remove the chilled cookies from the freezer and fill with about ½ teaspoon of the walnut mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Bake the cookies for about 12-13 minutes, until the edges have just a hint of color and walnut filling looks set.
- Cool completely before storing.
- Makes about 28 cookies.
Note: This recipe was adjusted for high altitude baking. To make at sea level, increase the baking soda to 1/2 teaspoon, and increase the flour to 2 1/4 cups.
