Pine nut and pecan cookies

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Get the kids involved when you make these gorgeous cookies which combine the tasty flavours of pecans and pine nuts

Ingredients

200g butter or low-fat spread suitable for frying, eg. Clover Lighter, at room temperature
100g unrefined golden icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
50g pecan nuts, ground
20g pine nuts
Icing sugar to serve

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5. In a food processor, blitz the pecan nuts until fine.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter or spread and icing sugar with a wooden spoon. Add the vanilla extract and the flour and mix well. Finally, combine the ground pecan nuts and mix to combine. Bring the cookie dough together with your hands.
Divide the dough into 32 pieces. Roll each piece into a walnut size round and place them on two large un-greased baking trays leaving some space in between each ball. Flatten each round slightly with your thumb to make a dip in the middle. Sprinkle the pine nuts over and lightly press into the dough.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden. Leave on the trays for 5 minutes and then remove to cool on a wire rack. Dredge with icing sugar.

By Andrea Mann