Caramel Cream Cookies

Even if the original recipe said to 'sandwich' these cookies as in the photo above and below, I prefer them left 'single' (as stated at the bottom)-- I also think they're good enough without any icing, period.

Although I don't have the foggiest idea about where this recipe came from, I first made these cookies in the early 70's.  They are a delicate tasting kind of butter cookie with the brown sugar adding the caramel flavor.

COOKIE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cups pecans, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS for the cookies:

1. Cream butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl for about 3 minutes. 
2. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. 
3. Combine flour, salt and pecans. 
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix only until fully incorporated.
5. Shape into two straight even-sized 10-inch rolls.
6. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. Unwrap and slice each roll into 1/4-inch-thick cookie circles.
8. Bake on parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 9-10 minutes, or until only slightly browned around their edges.
9. Remove and cool on wire racks.

*FILLING (icing) INGREDIENTS:

• 7 and 1/2 teaspoons butter (no substitutions)
• 1 and 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 to 3 tablespoons whipping cream

DIRECTIONS for the icing filling:

1. Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan.
2. Stir until only golden brown.  Quickly remove from heat.
3. Add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla and just enough whipping cream to achieve spreading consistency.
4. **Spread icing on only half of the cookies. Top with remaining half of cookies. Push the two halves together very lightly.
5. Makes 25-30 sandwich-style cookies

*Again, these cookies DO NOT NEED a filling, and they do not need a frosting, period.  It's my opinion that they will be LIKED in their 'plain state'!

**My opinion:  Even better than putting these together as 'sandwich-style cookies' (if you choose to use the recommended filling/frosting, that is) would be to frost them individually.  That keeps these from 'going down two at a clip'!  (For this posting, I put them together as directed in the original recipe.)