• 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Zest of one orange
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
  • ¾ cup strawberry, apricot or your favorite preserves

Made every year at Christmas, these cookies not only taste great, they are well known around the holidays and stay fresh for a long time. Kept in a cool place, you can rely on these cookies to taste great for a while. They also freeze well, too!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Be sure to scrap the sides down. Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with your mixer. Stir in remaining flour mixture by hand. Shape dough into 3/4–inch balls and roll into chopped nuts. Place 1-inch apart on a cookie sheet. Lightly press the tip of your thumb into the center of the ball. Fill centers with about ¼ tsp. preserves. Bake for about 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack. Cool completely. Wrap for someone special or enjoy with your family!

Variation: A chocolate kiss can also be placed in the center of the cookie instead of preserves.