A favorite with kids and kids at heart, you can frost these with a cream cheese or powdered sugar icing, too. - Tara’s Signature

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/22 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water, for the glaze (optional)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together onto a piece of waxed paper, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter until it is pale yellow and light. Then add the sugar and mix vigorously until the mixture is nearly white. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sour cream and the vanilla, and mix well. Then stir in the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated into the dough.
4. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour onto a work surface and onto the dough. Divid the dough into thirds, and roll out one third so it is about 3/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass with a thin rim, cut out the cookies and place them about 1/2 inch apart on unoiled baking sheets.
5. Brush the cookies with the egg glaze if desired, and sprinkle each one with chopped nuts. Bake until the cookies have risen and spring back when touched, no longer than 15 minutes. They should be soft and thick, almost like small cakes. Transfer them to wire racks to cool, and store in an airtight container. They will keep for 3 to 4 days.

Makes about 40 cookies