Hazelnut Shortbread

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3-1/2 cups flour
dash salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 sticks butter
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tsps water

Cream butter and sugar and vanilla, almond and water. Add flour, salt and cinnamon and blend well. Mix in the hazelnuts. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Roll out to 1/2″ thickness and cut out your favorite shapes. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until edges just slightly begin to brown. Cool completely.

If desired, sandwich the cookies with Nutella!

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Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread

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2 cups soft butter (1 lb)
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz chopped good white chocolate
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until well blended, Add the flour 1/3 at a time and blend well.

Add chocolate and cranberries and blend well.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a prepared (silpat or parchment or very lightly greased) cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for about 14-15 minutes or until slightly browned on the edges. Cool completely before removing.

Oatmeal Brittle Cookies

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2 cups rolled oats
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of cinnamon

Mix until crumbly and then add 1 cup confectioners sugar, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 4 tsps of water and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir in 1 cup finely chopped peanuts.

Divide dough in half. Press one half into a circle on a foil lined sheet to about a 10″ diameter.

Repeat with second dough.

Bake18-20 minutes at 350 until just set and turning lightly browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle 1 cup of semi sweet choc bits on each circle. Wait 1-2 minutes and then spread the melted chocolate all over the top to the edges.

Cool until chocolate is set (can put in refrigerator for about 10 minutes).

Remove circle from foil and put on a cutting board. Cut into triangles.

These can be frozen for up to a month.

Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

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1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pistachios
1/3 cup sugar

Combine the above and then add 1 cup (2 sticks) of cool butter and blend until a dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut out shapes of your choice. Put on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes at 325 degrees or until just starting to brown on the edges.

If you wish, after the cookies are cool, you can dip one half in melted white chocolate and sprinkle more chopped pecans on the chocolate and then let set. These freeze well.

Butter Pecan Cookies (Shortbread)

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1 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 cups flour
2 sticks soft butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and salt on a mixer until creamy. Add flour and then pecans and blend well.

Roll into balls, roll in sugar, put on lined sheet, flatten a bit and top with more sugar. Bake 350 degrees for about 15 minutes just until edges start to brown lightly.