World Cuisine Recipe › German Walnut Shortbread Cookies

These German Christmas cookies are similar to shortbread and we bake them every year in December. The recipe makes a pretty large amount and they are pretty quick to make, since you only have to cut the dough, so perfect for last minute baking.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Cooking Directions

1. Beat 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Add 3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons confectioner's sugar, egg yolk, and salt; beat until smooth. Knead in 2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnuts.
2. Shape dough into 2-inch thick rolls and press them into rectangles using a flat item like a cutting board (they should look like oversized butter sticks). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Cut dough into thin slices and lay them on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and bake until very lightly browned, about 5 more minutes.
6. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

• calories45.4
• carbohydrateContent4.3 g
• cholesterolContent7.9 mg
• fatContent3 g
• fiberContent0.2 g
• proteinContent0.6 g
• saturatedFatContent1.4 g
• sodiumContent4.4 mg
• sugarContent1.3 g