on the table: WEDDING COOKIES

By Courtney Warren

When I was in elementary school, a sweet older lady named Mrs. Yeats lived on the other side of our backyard fence. She lived alone, her husband having passed years prior to us becoming her neighbors. Our families sort of adopted each other. 

Mom would be sure to take her a plate of supper each night and have coffee with her in the mornings. She let my baby brothers and I roam her backyard and always had a bowl of Jolly Ranchers in her living room. 

She told story after story that my too-young heart was simply not old enough to treasure, but one thing she did give us was the wedding cookie recipe. 

Everyone and their momma makes these, but I was first introduced to them through Mrs. Yeats - and they are my favorite treat. When my mother-in-law made them for Christmas one year, it brought back those afternoons playing on her floor while they baked. Now, she doesn’t know why these are special (I’m sure she does now, because she reads our newspaper), but anytime we have a family gathering, these treats are on the table and sent home with me. 

I love that something as simple as dough and sugar can spark comfort in our hearts. We made these a lot when I was younger, and they remind me of family, good neighbors, and my brothers covered in powdered sugar.

Wedding Cookies

Ingredients: 
½ pound butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups sifted plain flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 

Directions:

1.    Soften or melt the butter. 
2.    Add the sugar, mix in the flour and flavoring, then add the nuts. 
3.    Roll into balls. 
4.    Put the balls on a light-colored pan and cook for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. 
5.    Roll in powdered sugar before serving.