Walnut Stars
Made with a food processor, these walnut cookies boast a crisp texture and earthy, nutty flavor, finished with a chocolate drizzle.
Ingredients
walnuts (toasted, cooled)
1 cup (about 4 ounces)
granulated sugar
¼ cup
all-purpose flour
1½ cups
confectioners’ sugar
½ cup
baking powder
¼ teaspoon
salt
½ teaspoon
unsalted butter (chilled, cut into 8 slices)
8 tablespoons (1 stick)
large egg yolk
1
pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
cold water
1 to 2 tablespoons
bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (chopped, for drizzle)
3 ounces
Instructions
1
PREHEAT
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Turn off the oven.
2
PULSE
Pulse the cooled toasted walnuts and granulated sugar in a food processor until the nuts are coarsely chopped (not a fine powder). Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.
3
ADD
Add the all-purpose flour, confectioners' sugar, baking powder, and salt to the food processor. Pulse once to combine. Add the butter and pulse several times until the mixture forms small crumbs. Add the walnut mixture and pulse twice to mix. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of water, pulsing until the dough feels moist when squeezed. Add an additional ½ to 1 tablespoon of water as needed, pulsing a few more times until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap, shape into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to roll out.
4
ROLL
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thick. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, arranging them on the prepared baking sheet with about 1.5 inches of space between each. Re-roll the scraps. Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until light golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5
FOR THE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup or bowl. Heat in the microwave on medium power for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth. Let cool at room temperature for a few minutes. Place the cookies close together but not touching on a wire rack lined with wax paper. Pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag or piping bottle. If using a bag, seal it and cut a small hole in one corner. Working quickly, drizzle the chocolate over the star cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let the chocolate set completely before storing the cookies.
