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Monday, November 30, 2015

Virtual Cookie Exchange!


Hi, and thanks for stopping by the 3rDegree Bakery today!  If you're visiting for the first time, this little blog is a place for our family of makers to share "what's cooking" at the Chateau de Stott.  


Today is DAY I of the Virtual Cookie Exchange, hosted by my friend Carol at JustLetMeQuilt!

Around here, we love to spend time in the kitchen.  It's our gathering place.  And we have collected some amazing, wonderful recipes (see our family cookbook  on the side bar →).  Today's prize-winning, killer cookie recipe is more like a candy bar that will have your minions worshipping at your feet, ready to do anything at your beck and call just to get a bite of these golden nuggets of deliciousness!

The Recipe:  
Praline Shortbread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

SHORTBREAD CRUST:
Blend:    3/4 c. powdered sugar
              2 c. flour
Cut in until crumbly:  
              1 c. butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature
Form mixture into a ball.  Pat or roll into a 9" x 13" baking pan.  Bake the crust at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

PRALINE TOPPING:
In a medium saucepan, melt:
              1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
Add:       1/2 c. honey
              1/4 c. whipping cream
              1/2 c. brown sugar
Mix over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat and add:
               4 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
When the crust comes out of the oven, top it with the nut mixture.
 Return to oven until topping is bubbly and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes.
Cool completely; cut into bite-sized squares.  Yield:  48 
~~~
Oh, that shortbread crust!!  And to show you just how delicious, I used practically the same shortbread recipe to make Thumbprint cookies for my daughter's wedding!  You can check it out HERE.  Buttery, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  You could just skip the praline topping, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the top, or eat it plain!

But the praline topping, mmmm-buttery rich caramel-covered nutty goodness!  This time, we used walnuts from the tree in front of my daughter's apartment.  

Harvest 'em.

Shuck 'em.

Crack 'em.  That was the Dad's assignment.


Collect.

Cook.

Add nuts, pour over the shortbread crust.  Bake. 

Cool; Cut.

Eat 'em.,,


Yum.

We like to make these at Christmas time and assemble little plates with a few homemade instant  Caramels for neighbor gifts.  Looks like we'll have to put the Dad to work again!

Thanks for stopping by! 
Master List - updated with direct links: 
Deonn at 3rd Degree Bakery ← you are here

21 comments:

  1. My cookie gift platters are going to be so full of yummy new cookies this year! Looks like a great recipe! Can't wait to give it a try.

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  2. These are a must have for my next gathering! I'm sure I will have an empty plate of crumbs, just like your last photo!

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  3. These look SO good! Nuts make anything better--will have to try these, for sure! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Your photos have been duly drooled over and my sweet tooth is aching for a bite. I'll be right over (I wish!) I used to help my grandparents crack pecans from their harvest and think they were the best I've ever eaten. How fun to have fresh walnuts and someone who will dig out their contents for you! Thanks my sweet friend, for sharing this yummy recipe and playing along with me.

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  5. Oh these sound so delicious. Thanks for the recipe and the wonderful photos of the process. I must admit that if I try them on my own I will be using store bought walnuts. Harvesting isn't high up on my list but it was very impressive to read about. Happy Holidays.

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  6. Thanks for this yummy looking recipe! It's been such fun to visit everyone today.

    Oh and you're right... that tip of Selina's to use a slotted ruler to cut bar cookies is just brilliant.

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  7. Oh my gosh, this shortbread and pecans or walnuts recipe looks fabulous! I have got to try this one!

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  8. These look delicious. We will have to give these a try. Ours will be pecans though, we're in the heart of Texas, definitely pecan country. LOL Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Oh, I can't wait to give these a try! I love nuts, and this looks like a perfect cookie to share.

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  10. I love shortbread and your cookies look fabulous.

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  11. A great post! Those bars look simply amazing and your Dad deserves a big smooch! How fun that the whole family participates in the cookie process. That is how our family works, in December we are a cookie making factory! Thank you for a super post and recipe and the links to so many more!

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  12. My husband would love these cookies. Thank you very much for sharing your recipe and fun tidbits. Creative Cookie Bliss...

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  13. I love anything with shortbread involved. So delicious and so pretty.

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  14. These look so delish! I love anything with walnuts. Or anything with any nuts... Thanks for the great recipe!

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  15. They look delicious and this is my first time seeing a walnut just from the tree . Neat.

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  16. Wow! Those look delicious! And how cool to get fresh nuts from the tree! Maybe I'm just amazed by things we can't do in the desert... I'll have to try these out, but too bad I'll have to buy the walnuts from the store!

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  17. Yum! They do look divine. Wish I was your neighbor. And who doesn't love homemade caramels.

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  18. These look amazing! I'll have to give them a try. I didn't know wal-nuts was a shell in a shell.

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  19. These look delicious! I am going to have to make some soon ...:) Pat

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