Cream Cheese and Pecan Cookies

Dear Michelle,

I am a big fan of Martha Stewart. That woman really has it together. Even when she got arrested, it wasn't your run of the mill celebrity law trouble- no DUI, no drugs, no spousal abuse; she was simply too together and ahead of the game, albeit in an illegal way. And then she went to jail! Practically unheard of! And no, Paris Hilton being in jail for, like, 5 hours doesn't count. Plus she can't make a cookie like Martha, nor I imagine do anything like the Queen of DIY can. Or really do anything useful at all.

But I digress- on to the cookies. Like so many happy culinary accidents, these cookies were discovered due to necessity. That is, the necessity of needing cookies and having walnuts and wanting to make cookies that involved them. I told Jeff that if he could find a good recipe online and we had everything necessary in the pantry, I'd make some cookies. That promise is always a good way to get things done around here.

Now, Jeff has a little bit of history with the Martha Stewart test kitchen, as he worked there for a little while during his temp days. He has some funny stories about Martha, and many good memories of tastings and getting sent home with food, a nice break from bachelor-eating. So when he found these on her website, I knew they'd be good. They looked, and were, pretty easy to make, and another plus is that one recipe makes several "logs" of cookies; I will bake one or two and leave the rest in the freezer. That is heaven for those days when you really want something sweet and buttery, but don't want to get everything out to make them, and measure and clean, or if you are having people over and need something easy and quick. They are perfect with tea (and I'd imagine with coffee too), and great for a pre-breakfast morning snack. Yes, I just said that. And I do not feel shame!

These have made so many fans in the short time I've been making them. A friend's husband has waxed poetic, my parents (and I) put a good dent in the holiday batches I made, and so many people have asked me for the recipe. I'm sure I'll return to my favorite cookies (oatmeal-chocolate-walnut-cranberry) at some point, but for now I cannot get enough of these.

They are basically a butter cookie, dressed up fancy, and with many variations. Cream cheese adds a little tartness and an unexpected flavor, while the rock salt and nuts add a savory note and keep the cookies from being too sweet. That, to me, is the key to a really good cookie, the kind you just can't stop eating; it can't be too sweet. I will often add some citrus as well, because it always goes so well with nuts, and of course with butter and sugar. While Martha rolls the logs of dough in finely chopped nuts, I like to use nuts mixed with a little more salt and raw sugar. I also prefer the cookies to be smaller, about 1- 1.5 inches each instead of 2-3 inches.

Cream Cheese and Pecan Cookies

Original recipe from the Martha Stewart website. Some changes have been made.

Notes:

I used mostly cake flour (500g), as I was out of all-purpose, and it worked just fine.
Make sure to use coarse salt! they will be way too salty otherwise. If you only have regular salt, I bet the correct measurement would be about 1/2 t. However, the crunchy salt is part of what makes these really good!

Martha calls for 6 oz cream cheese. Most packages come as 8oz, and I've forgotten that enough to know that it doesn't make that big of a difference in this recipe. Made with 6 oz instead, they are not quite as tart, and just a touch more tender. I also just realized that, this time, I only used half the butter! They are still good, but will of course be better as the recipe reads, so unless you are on a diet I'd not recommend skimping. I'd wondered why they weren't quite as tender! Also, sometimes I don't toast the nuts. It's a matter of preference, but I think they toast enough while baking. There was a note on the M.S. website that someone had tried these with macadamia nuts to great success.

4 c (500g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t coarse salt
2 c butter, softened
6-8 oz cream cheese
1 1/4 c sugar
3 T vanilla extract
3 c walnut or pecan halves, 2 c (toasted or not) broken, 1 c finely chopped
(zest of 1 citrus fruit)
1/2-1 c raw sugar
1t coarse salt (taste dough- if very salty, forgo this. If not enough, add a bit more here)



Whisk flour with salt. Cream butter together with cream cheese. This is easiest with an electric mixer of some sort; you want to mix it until light and fluffy, hard to do unless you're stronger than I.


Add sugar and cream again till light and fluffy- you'll notice when it starts to take on a different texture. Mix in vanilla. Add flour, and mix until just combined (sometimes I do this by hand). Mix in broken walnuts (2 c).


Rip approx. five one-ft lengths of wax paper or saran wrap. Scoop dough into rough logs about 1-1/2 inches in diameter- roll to smooth out. I find that using a silicon baking liner on the outside of the wax paper or saran wrap works really well for this. Freeze, or refrigerate for at least a half hour.



If frozen, let sit out for a few minutes to thaw the outside somewhat. Preheat oven to 350. Mix finely chopped nuts, raw sugar, and salt. Roll dough in this mixture, and cut every 1/3 of an inch. Lay out on silicone liner or parchment paper on baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden around the edges, 15-20 m. Cool before eating: they're good right away, but the best flavor is achieved after they are fully cool. I like to put the leftover nut-sugar-salt mixture in the freezer with the saved cookie dough, for whenever I decide to make the remaining portions.

Taunt fiancee and friend with cookies that cannot be eaten till photographed. Enjoy!