CHRISTMAS NUT THINS

Ingredients

1 Cup of butter or margarine softened
1 Cup of sugar
2 eggs well beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
Pecan halves

Combine butter & sugar.

Cream until fluffy

Add eggs beat well

Add flour & salt and mix until smooth

Stir in chopped pecans and vanilla

Mix until incorporated

Drop by 1/2 tsp on a greased cookie, sheet about 2 inches apart

Place a 1/2 pecan on top of each cookie

Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes or until lightly brown. Makes about 6 dozen.

PIGNOLE (PINE NUT) COOKIES

1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 Cup flour
1/8 tsp Salt
1 Can almond paste (8 oz)
2 Egg Whites, slightly beaten
1 Jar Italian pignoles (pine nuts)

Heat oven to 300 degrees

Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets.

Shift sugars with flour.

Set aside.

In a medium bowl, break up almond paste with a wooden spoon

Add egg whites and beat until well blended & fairly smooth.

Stir in flour mixture until blended.

Making cookies:

Wet hands and roll dough into 1-inch balls.

Roll balls in nuts and place on cookie sheet with about 2 inches separating each cookie.

Slightly press cookies just to shape a little.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes

Cool on wire rack

Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar

Find other holiday ideas in our Holiday Guide, and gift ideas in our NYC Shopping Local Gift Guide.