The tradition of making homemade treats for gifts is still alive and well in the South. In the early to mid-1990s, I worked on videos and photo shoots in Nashville with a girl named Maria Smoot. She is responsible for some of the most beautiful hair-styles in country music. I found a tin of these cookies in my mailbox one Christmas with a sweet note from Maria. What was even sweeter was that she included the recipe.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 2 dozen
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Step 2
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the salt, and the vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour, and then stir in the pecans by hand.
Step 3
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball slightly and form into a half-moon crescent. Arrange the shaped cookies 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned but the tops are still pale. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
Step 4
Put the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll the cooled cookies in the sugar, coating liberally. Store in an airtight container.
From Gwen
Step 5
You may know these as Wedding Cookies or Melting Moments.