Sugar cookies with a buttercream frosting flavored with orange zest and ground pecans and chopped pecans around the edges
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Servings: 40cookies
Author: Adapted from Scott Rohr's Pistachio Orange Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
2cupsflour
1teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonscream of tartar
1teaspoonbaking soda
1cup2 sticks butter, room temperature
1/2cupsugarplus extra for rolling dough
1/2cupfirmly packed brown sugar
1egg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Filling
1 1/2cuppecansor raw shelled pistachios, divided
3/4cup1 1/2 stick butter at room temperature
freshly grated zest of 1 orange
1 1/2teaspoonorange extract
1 1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
4 1/2cupspowdered sugar
4tablespoonsmilk or orange juice
Instructions
Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda and reserve, In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed beat butter, 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in thirds, mixing until just combined. Form dough into 1/2 inch balls.
Roll dough in sugar and place 2 inches apart of prepared baking sheets. (It works well to roll a number of cookies at once in a larger container filled with sugar to speed up this process. Pat cookies lightly back into shape, if required, when you place them on the baking sheet.) Bake until cookies are set but not browned, about 8-10 minutes (cookies will puff up in the oven but flatten as they cool.)
Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Filling
In a food processor pulse 1/2 cup nuts until very fine (the nuts should almost clump together in a paste between your fingers.)
In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and orange zest until light and fluffy. Add orange and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined.
Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar, in thirds, alternating with the milk (or milk and orange juice), and mix until smooth (you may need another tablespoon or so of liquid to reach the desired consistency.) Fold in ground nuts, mixing until thoroughly combined.
Assemble Cookies
Finely chop remaining 1/2 cup nuts and place in a shallow dish. Spread a generous dollop of filling on the flat side of the cookie. Place the flat side of the 2nd cookie against filling to make a sandwich. Press gently until filling is at the edge of cookies (note - if you don't have enough frosting it won't reach the edge, and the nuts won't stick.) Roll edge in chopped nuts. Repeat with remaining cookies.