Norwegian Butter Cookies

When I was looking through the Norwegian Pioneer Cookbook from the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa, I found this recipe by Mrs. Jerome Krushus. It caught my eye because it uses hard cooked egg yolks and no liquid or leavening. If you are a shortbread fan, as I am, you will like these. They reminded me of Berliner Krantz.  They should be made at least a day ahead to ripen.  We liked them better without the cherries.   I think you could leave out the coconut if you wished.
If you measure the flour instead of weighing it, be sure you sift if first, and then measure carefully. Too much flour makes the cookies crumbly. Room temperature butter should just push in easily if you put your finger on it. Don’t let it get too warm.
These disappeared quickly at a recent family coffee time; I wouldn't confine them to the holidays.
Butter Cookies
1 Cup Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Large Egg Yolks -- hard boiled
1/2 Cup Pecans -- chopped
1/3 Cup Coconut
2 Cups Flour -- (8-9 ounces) sifted
18 Each Candied Cherries -- optional
Hard cook eggs. Cool, peel and set aside egg yolks. Use whites for another purpose.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream butter and sugar. Add hardboiled egg yolks, then nutmeats, coconut and flour. Do not chill.
Portion into small balls with teaspoon scoop (size 100), press down to 1/2" thick with a fork dipped in cold water.
Half a candied cherry may be placed in center for color.
Bake in 350° oven 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly brown.
Cool on pan a few minutes, then on wire rack. Let ripen at least overnight.
Yield: "3 Dozen"
2010 cost:  $2.24 per recipe without cherries, or 7¢ per cookie.
Per Serving: 97 Calories; 7g Fat (61.3% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 26mg Cholesterol; 53mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat