Birds in the nest

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Brown sugar
1 cup Butter or shortening
2 Eggs, separated
2 tablespoons Water
2 cups Unsifted flour
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pinch Salt
½ cup Ground nuts
Jelly-your favorite flavor

Directions

These cookies have been a "must" on my family's holiday table since I was a little girl. My earliest memories of "birds in the nest" take me back to my maternal grandmother's house where she filled each "nest" according to the favorite jelly flavor of each of her grandchildren.

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter or shortening. Add egg yolks, water, flour, vanilla and salt. Mix well and compress into a ball.

Preheat oven to 350ø.

Break pieces off to form small, walnut-size balls. Dip each ball in unbeaten egg whites, then roll in ground nuts. Slightly flatten ball to form disk, then press finger in center to form a small well. Fill the well with a drop of jelly. (Don't put in to much or it will melt over the side of the cookie.)

Bake at 350ø for 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet Remove from oven and cool cookies on wire racks.

Yield: about 4 dozen. Bunny Polmer, Editor, Kitchen Bazaar Times, Rockville, MD

Randy Shearer

Related recipes