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Greek Cookies

There are so many variations of these delicious Greek Cookies. These shortbread cookies keep well in an airtight container...but, having said that, they seldom last long!

These are very versatile cookies. As gourmet cookies, they are glamorous enough to serve to friends after dinner with coffee. They look beautiful at Christmas and are perfect if you are after holiday cookies. But best of all, these pecan cookies look stunning in a glass cookie jar - serve with a glass of milk when kids come home from school.

Easy

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 12 - 15 minutes

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

8oz / 225g butter

½ cup icing sugar (confectioners' sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

¾ cup pecan nuts or walnuts - chopped finely

1 tablespoon orange zest - use an unwaxed orange

2 - 2¼ cups flour

¾ cups icing sugar, extra

1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon

Method:

Preheat oven to 400° F / 200° C.
Cream the butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Using an electric beater makes this very quick.
Add 2 cups of the flour and orange zest. Mix until you have a soft dough - it should not be sticky. Add remaining flour if necessary.
Add nuts and knead them in.
From the dough, roll small balls - between the size of a walnut and a golf ball.
Place on un-greased baking trays.
Bake for between 12 and 14 minutes. They should be a golden color but not brown. They shouldn't 'sing'!
Put extra icing sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Whilst they are still warm, roll the Greek cookies in the icing sugar to coat. Cool on wire trays. The icing sugar becomes absorbed into the warm cookie.
Just before serving, re-roll in icing sugar. This time they will look white and absolutely delectable!

Why unwaxed oranges? There are various additives, like fungicides, that are added to the waxing process of citrus fruit. These all help to preserve the fruit and add to its shelf-life. Therefore, when adding zest to a recipe, try to use unwaxed citrus.