1 1/3 cups unsalted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

2 cups bleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (firmly packed)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

Place 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

If the cashew nuts are salted, place them in a colander or strainer and rinse them under hot tap water. Crisp them for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool completely and chop them coarsely.

Soften the butter. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then whisk, to mix evenly. Add the cashews and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract and scrape the sides of the bowl. Beat in the sour cream until incorporated. At low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Scrape the dough into a bowl. Drop the dough in heaping teaspoons (see note) 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the cookie sheets.

Cool the cookies for a few minutes on the sheets then a wire rack.

Tester’s note: The first batch of cookies were overcooked, so I made heaping tablespoons the next time, and they were just perfect. I found the unsalted nuts in the produce section of the grocery store near the dried cranberries.

From Rose’s Christmas Cookies.