Creamy Cashews   From The Cookie Party Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Cookie Exchange St. Martin's Press/Macmillan by Robin Olson (www.cookie-exchange.com) Tracy O. of  New Jersey says:  "Every year this is one of my most requested cookie recipes for my cookie exchange!"

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Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (if using salted cashews, omit salt)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream
3 cups roasted cashews, chopped Whole cashews for garnish

Brown Butter Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly grease the baking sheets.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. On low speed, beat in the sour cream, and then the flour mixture.

Stir in the chopped cashews. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

While the cookies are baking, make the frosting. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, until lightly browned. Remove from heat; whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, then the cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until smooth. Spread the warm frosting on the cookies. Garnish each cookie with a whole cashew.

Makes 9 dozen cookies