Gee's Nuthorns

This year I participated in something amazing to get me into the holiday spirit: The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!  I knew the second I joined what cookies I would be making: nuthorns.  This is a very special cookie to me.  My grandmother used to make these every year when I was little.  She would send them to everyone in the extended family... and we are Italian, so let's be honest, big family.  She passed away a few years back and the cookies haven't been made in quite awhile.  So in her honor, I present to you, Gee's Nuthorns!

I would like to thank Lindsay from Love and Olive Oil and Julie from The Little Kitchen for planning this ridiculously awesome cookie extravaganza.  I would also really really like to thank the ladies that sent me cookies. :)  Kathia from Pink Little Cake sent me chocolate milk cookies, Mary from Passionate Perseverance sent me Specaltius cookies, and Julie from the semi-reformed nerd sent me cinnamon spice brown sugar cookies.  They were all quite delicious!



First you need to separate 5 eggs.  Beat egg whites until they are stiff and piquey.  Add 1 cup of sugar while you are beating the whites.  Fold in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and 1 cup of ground walnuts.  I ground mine in my food processor.  Set the bowl aside and break out another bowl.  Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is one messy cookie recipe.

Heat your oven to 350.  Sift 4 cups of flour together with one teaspoon of salt, and really do this step.  It makes the flour so soft and smooth and delightful.  Now, for the trickyish part.  My wonderful Grandma called for 1 small yeast cake, compressed.  Which, I could not find.  So I bought yeast in the refrigerated section and used 2 1/4 teaspoons of that as an equivalent.  Make sure the yeast you are going to use is room temperature before you use it or it won't rise properly.  May or may not have found that one out the hard way.  Add the yeast to the flour.  Then add 1 1/4 cups of butter cut into small pieces and blend.  You can use your hands or a pastry cutter for this.

Then, in a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup sour cream, the 5 egg yolks from before, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Add to the flour mixture and mix very well.  You should have dough now.  Cut it into six portions.

Roll out each piece into a 9 inch circle.  Then pour filling overtop, and cut into 12 pie shaped pieces.  Here's where it gets fun... roll the pie "slice" from the small end out and place on a buttered cookie sheet with the end on the bottom.  Otherwise it will unroll... yep found that one out too.

You may notice that the goo oozes out of the sides, but be excited, because eating this is the best part of this whole experience, sugary nutty crunchy.  Yum.

Bake for 17-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle powdered sugar overtop.  Consume in massive, massive quantities.

Enjoy!

Gee's Nuthorns

5 eggs separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup ground walnuts

4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 small cake compressed yeast OR 2 1/4 teaspoons regular yeast
1 1/4 cups butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract