Aunt Mary Dillon's praline cookies

Aunt Mary Dillon's praline cookies

Photo by Patricia Scarpin

Aunt Mary Dillon's praline cookies

Cookies:
1 2/3 cups (234g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups (262g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Praline icing:
1 cup (175g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, plus more if necessary
1 cup (140g) sifted confectioners' sugar
1 cup (about 100g) pecan halves, toasted and broken into large pieces

Start with the cookies: preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until fully combined. Add dry ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.
Make balls using rounded teaspoons of dough and place onto prepared baking sheets about 5cm (2 in) apart. Bake until firm and barely golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies from pan to wire rack.

Now, make the icing: in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add confectioners' sugar, and whisk until smooth. (If frosting thickens, thin with cream.) Add pecan pieces.

Place cookies on a cooling rack over a lined baking pan __LongTerm__ I placed them on a large piece of baking paper on the counter. Spoon about 1 leveled teaspoon praline mixture onto each cookie. Let icing dry before storing the cookies.