Citrus-Scented Sour Cream Pecan Cookies
Holidays can be stressful so choose one or two time-consuming cookies and a couple of quick treats. In addition, choose cookies that give a variety of looks and flavors. Just like other holidays, traditions rule, as do familiar textures and recipes. Chocolate chip cookies, for example, are never out of season.
Set up the kitchen like an assembly line. Organization is key. Finish one job before you move on to the next. Having several cookie sheets and cooling racks (I recommend at least four of each) definitely will move things along.
And don’t forget to have ice, cold milk on hand. Cookies and milk go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Now for the fun part! In addition to all those yummy Christmas cookie recipes, The Florida Dairy Farmers are giving away a KitchenAid Artisan Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer and a $250 VISA gift card for you to use to make all these amazing and delicious cookies!
Learn more about the Florida Dairy Farmers and the contest at FloridaMilk.com.
Here’s our first recipe:
Citrus-Scented Sour Cream Pecan Cookies
Sour cream enhances the tenderness of baked goods like nothing else. It’s that secret ingredient cooks have used for years to create moist cakes and breads and it does the same for cookies. These soft, melt-in-your mouth treats will disappear in a wink of an eye at holiday cookie swaps. I like to coat mine with chopped pecans to add crunch and texture. A little lemon or orange zest in the batter enlivens the natural tang of the sour cream as well.
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon or orange zest to taste
1 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. With an electric mixer blend sugar and butter until creamy. Mix in egg, sour cream, extract, nutmeg and zest. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add enough of the flour mixture to form a soft dough. Transfer dough to refrigerator until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
4. Working in small batches while the remaining dough stays chilled, form heaping teaspoons of dough into small balls. Roll in chopped nuts and place on pan Bake until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes (the edges should be just turning golden brown).
Baking tips
- If a recipe calls for unsalted butter and you only have salted on hand, you can eliminate the added salt called for in the ingredients.
- Do not use diet or whipped margarine in baking recipes. In most formulas, the product is whipped which adds air for volume. For baked goods, solid butter works best.
- Low fat and regular sour cream can be used interchangeably in most recipes.
Enter to Win a KitchenAid Mixer & $250 VISA Gift Card in the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies & Milk!
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