Frosted Vanilla Cookies

About two years ago I decided to have a cookie swap party. I invited some friends and we were each to make a few dozen of one cookie. Then we would swap them and have a variety of cookies for neighbor Christmas gifts. I had this recipe in mind but could never find the Vanilla Bean Paste. Finally our Williams Sonoma gift card from our wedding over three years ago saved the day as it purchased the paste. Of course since then, I have seen it elsewhere with a cheaper price tag. But the point of this little intro is that I was finally able to make the desired cookies and now they are desired all the time, they are simply delicious. "Better than Snickerdoodles" a friend remarked (and she loves Snickerdoodles). I thought about not sharing this recipe, then I could have my secret recipe. Then I realized I would have to share when I made them and that didn't make sense, so here it is:

Frosted Vanilla Cookies

(As this was at least two years ago, I do not have a source. I only have a printed copy, with no website/blog/name to give credit to, sorry.)

Cookies:

1 c unsalted butter

1 T vanilla bean paste

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 egg

2 c flour

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t cream of tartar

1/4 t salt

1 c finely chopped walnuts (I didn't have a full cup of walnuts, so I added some pecans)

1 c sugar for rolling

Frosting:

1 T vanilla bean paste

1/3 c half and half (or heavy cream if it is all you have, like I had)

1 T unsalted butter

2 c powdered sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and vanilla bean paste on medium-high speed until smooth. Add 1/2 c sugar, powdered sugar and egg and continue mixing until combined. Add walnuts and continue mixing until combine.

Roll dough into one inch balls, roll ball sin sugar and place on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake for 9 minutes (I only baked for 7 minutes) or until just beginning to brown. Place baked cookies on a cooling rack until completely cool.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all frosting ingredients and beat at medium speed until smooth. Frost each cooled cookies with one teaspoon of frosting.