Anniversary Cookies

Several months ago my husband, Jeff, son, Evan, and my son’s girlfriend, Rhiannon, piled into the car and headed to Queen Creek, AZ to visit an olive grove.  We went on a tour, had lunch and came home with several bottles of olive oils and balsamic vinegar.  One of my finds was a Vanilla Bean Olive Oil.  Rhiannon had made a citrus cake which used olive oil (something new to me) and it was delicious. I decided to use that idea and incorporate it in a cookie similar to a Mexican Wedding Cookie.  I am calling them Anniversary Cookies because I made them to celebrate Jeff and my 35th wedding anniversary.

Ingredients:
2 cups         White Spelt Flour or flour of your choice
1/4 cup        Walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup        Almond, finely chopped
1/2 cup        Earth Balance or Butter, softened
1/2 cup        Vanilla Bean Olive Oil or Regular Olive Oil and 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup        Powdered Sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper.
In a bowl mix flour and nuts together.  Set aside.
In another bowl combine Earth Balance or butter, oil and sugar and mix well.
Combine dry and wet ingredients and mix well.
Roll cookies into small balls or use a cookie scoop.
Place cookies on sheet  –  about 1 1/2 inch apart.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.
Cool for 5 minutes and then move to cooling rack for 15-20 minutes.
While cookies are still warm – dip top of cookies into more powdered sugar.
Continue to cool on rack.

Makes 24 – 36 Cookies, depending on how big you make them.