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I have a bit of a hoarding issue when it comes to recipes. I have more cookbooks and recipe binders than I have space. And don’t even get me started on the number of recipes I have bookmarked online. One day I’ll get to the whole organizing/purging thing, but for now there are more important things to do like watching Revenge on Hulu and baking Cashew Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting. Seriously though – have you watched Revenge? I’m kind of obsessed – with the show and these cookies.

Cashew Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting were picked up on my radar a few weeks back and of course, they were immediately bookmarked. I’ve always been a big fan of cashews and coupling the salty, crunchy texture of the nuts with soft sour cream cookies and brown butter frosting sounded all kinds of amazing. And indeed they are.

The cookie itself is quite unassuming. They’re soft, slightly sweet with a hint of saltiness – but overall kind of average. However, the minute you slather on a dollop of brown butter frosting, they’re transformed from mundane to magnificent.

In case you were wondering, the nutty sweetness of brown butter frosting is like the perfect frosting match to cashews. I was blown away by the complexity this frosting adds to that unassuming cookie. Try ’em out, I’m sure you’ll agree with me!
[pinit]

Cashew Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup salted cashews, chopped

For the Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy; about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Reduce speed to low. Slowly add in flour mixture alternately with sour cream, until well mixed. Stir in cashews.

4. Using a medium cookie scoop, (1 ½ tablespoons) drop dough 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on pan for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack. Cool completely. Prepare the frosting.

5. Melt 1/2 cup butter in heavy 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until butter foams and just starts to turn golden brown (4 to 6 minutes). Keep your eye on the pan because the butter can go from brown to burnt in a matter of seconds. Immediately remove from heat. Remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind. Cool butter for 5 minutes.

6. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost cooled cookies.

Notes:

Store cookies in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Remove to room temperature one hour before serving.

My Baking Addiction slightly adapted from Land O Lakes.

All images and text ©

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58 Comments

  1. Leslie @ healthybybalance says:

    These I definitely have to try! I keep raw cashews on hand for all sorts of craziness. Do you think that would work if I just add extra salt?

  2. Mercedes@Satisfy My Sweet Tooth says:

    My grandma used to make the best peanut cookies and these remind me of them! Although she didn’t use any frosting, I love your idea with the simple frosting!

  3. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says:

    You should see the huge binders of recipes I’ve accumulated over the years. My husband jokes that we aren’t going to live long enough for me to make them all!

  4. Jeff @ Cheeseburger says:

    This looks so delicious and will go very well with some milk.

  5. Chrisssy says:

    Man do these look good!! I love anything with browned butter.

  6. Becca - Cookie Jar Treats says:

    Mmm. I love chashews! They are one of my favorite nuts! Plus borwn butter frosting. You jusr sealed the deal for me. These look incredible :)

  7. marla says:

    Just came dashing over from Pinterest. These are my kinda cookies! Love the cashews in these and that brown butter frosting!

  8. amanda @ fake ginger says:

    Oh goodness, these look perfect! I’m obsessed with cashews and I can’t melt butter without browning it so these are perfect for me! :)

  9. Debby Pucci says:

    I love cashews, these sound wonderful. Thank you.