Cream Cheese Walnut Refrigerator Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 16 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 36 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 -1 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (like kosher salt)
• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 6 ounces cream cheese (not whipped)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups walnut halves (1 1/2 cups toasted and coarsely chopped, 1 cup finely chopped)

Recipe

• 1 whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
• 2 mix butter and cream cheese on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. mix in sugar and vanilla. reduce speed to low. add flour mixture, and mix until just combined (do not overmix). mix in toasted walnuts.
• 3 transfer dough to a work surface. divide in half; shape each half into an 8 1/2-inch long log about 2 inches in diameter. wrap each log in parchment paper; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes or up to 2 weeks.
• 4 preheat oven to 350 with racks in upper and lower thirds. unwrap 1 log, and roll in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, coating completely. cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• 5 bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until golden around edges, 18 to 20 minutes. let cool on sheets on wire racks. repeat with remaining log and remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.