Lemon Walnut Butter Cookies

I have a friend who is really into cooking and food just as I am.  It was one of the first things we discovered about each other that we had in common.  We both think it would be fantastically fun to own a gourmet food shop.  Whenever we get together or chat via email, it is almost always about food, what we've cooked, any new recipes, and she was the one who encouraged me to do this blog.  If she finds a delicious sounding recipe, she will send it to me.  This was one of those recipes.  And I thank her immensely.

The subject line was "mmmm."  Inside the email was a lone link to a lemon pecan butter cookie.  My mouth watered immediately.  I wrote before how I love lemon things and lemon cookies are just about one of the best things ever.  I made these cookies the next weekend.

I did not have pecans but I did have walnuts and I don't think I will ever try these cookies with pecans.  The walnuts were divine.  And I knew I had to add an icing and it is an absolute must.  Lemon cookies with a drizzled icing make me giddy.  They were absolutely fantastic and I am so glad my friend sent me the link.  Thank you, pretty lady, and keep them coming!

Lemon Walnut Butter Cookies
Adapted from boston.com

For this recipe, you can use whole walnuts and then chop them after they are toasted.  I only had chopped walnuts and they were just fine and it saves you a step!

Cookies
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
zest of 1 lemon
juice of half a lemon
extra sugar for sprinkling

Icing
I don't have the measurements for this because I just threw some confectioner's sugar in a bowl and added a splash of milk to make it the consistency that I wanted.  You can make it as thin as you like by just adding more milk.  I would try a teaspoon at a time.

confectioner's sugar
milk

Preheat the oven to 350.  Spread the walnuts over a baking sheet and place in the oven.   Cook for about 10-12 minutes, giving them a shake a couple of times while they are toasting.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Turn the oven down to 300.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  In a mixer, beat the butter for about 3 minutes.  Add the sugar and beat until just combined.  Beat in the egg yolks, zest, and lemon juice. 

On low speed, add the flour mixture, one half at a time.  With the second half, add the walnuts.  Beat until combined.

Place rounded tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet.  Sprinkle the tops with sugar.  Place in the oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes.  Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a minute and then move to a wire rack placed over parchment or wax paper.

Mix together the icing ingredients until it is the consistency you like.  Take a teaspoon and dip into the icing.  Shake your spoon back and forth over the cookies to make a drizzle.  Eat immediately while the icing is gooey or wait until the icing firms up.  Either way, they are super delicious.