Praline Cookies!

It’s been awhile since I’ve made cookies, and these were the perfect ones to break the strike.  I first made them during the spring of my sophomore year, and immediately declared them a favorite.  Since then they’ve been on the “to repeat” list, but unfortunately that’s a list I don’t glance at too often…  Recently though, I’ve been craving caramel.  And nuts.

These resurfaced in my memory with a bang, and had to be done.  I remembered the chewy softness of the brown sugar cookie, the dab of nutty caramel on top, and how quickly my 1 taste test cookie became 3.  I also remembered that it was the night I really got to know Will, who liked the chocolate cookie I’d made that night better(!).  Pretty sure that I tried to talk him into preferring these, because clearly it just doesn’t get better than nutty caramel.  …I think my chocoholic status is thereby compromised.  But, these cookies make that okay.  Seriously.

…yikes, almost forgot: steer clear of organic brown sugar.  For whatever reason I had some, and as soon as I opened the bag I knew it was weirdly dry and didn’t pack as well.  Which resulted in these being a little too much on the dry/crispy side, especially in comparison to their ancestors on my memory’s pedestal.  Amazing nevertheless!

Praline Cookies

(From marthastewart.com)

Yields about 3 dozen

– Ingredients –

For the cookies:

1 2/3 c flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

1 1/2 c light-brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 t vanilla

For the topping:

1 c light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 c heavy cream, plus more if necessary

1 c sifted powdered sugar

1 c pecan halves, toasted and broken into large pieces

– Directions –

1) Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

2) Cream together the butter and 1 1/2 c brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat until fully combined.  Add dry ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.

3) Drop batter in rounded teaspoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 2″ apart.  Bake until firm and barely golden, 10-12 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4) In a small saucepan, combine the 1 c light-brown sugar and cream.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth.  (If frosting thickens, thin with more cream.)  Add pecan pieces.  Place cookies on a cooling rack over a lined baking pan.  Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon praline mixture onto each cookie.

And now, like that bite and this week, this song.  Sweet.  Spring.  Happy.  Enjoy.