Buster granddaughter shares classic recipe

It’s amazing to me how certain foods celebrated around the holidays can help make friends and family members who have passed away feel close again. Far too many times in the past several years we’ve had to say good-bye to those that we’ve held so dear. I’m hoping baking these cookies, along with a few other family favorites, will help bring a bit more holiday cheer to those I love this year. I moved into a new apartment in November, and as I was arranging and organizing things, I came across this old favorite.

Many of you may recognize the recipe; it’s from the Lyon’s Bakery that used to be here in Estherville, Nut Crisp Refrigerator cookies. My grandmother, Charlotte Buster, had the recipe. Unlike my grandmother, or her son, Jack (Estherville High School ‘56), my dad, when it comes to cooking and baking, I got the defective gene out of the pool. However, I have been fortunate enough to find a very talented chef/baker, Henry Chrestesen, chef and owner of Buscioni’s Bakes, in Lawton, Iowa. Henry will be recreating these wonderful morsels for my family this year. 

We did a trial run of the recipes for my crew at work, and it was a hit. The mass email went out that there were cookies and goodies for all to enjoy in the breakroom at lunch. It was a small stampede to the breakroom, and in 20 minutes, everything was gone. The cannoli went first, which wasn’t a surprise, but the Nut Crisp cookies disappeared completely seconds later. I thank the Lyon family for sharing this recipe with the town before they closed. As you can see, it lives on making new fans, and warming the hearts and palatest of old friends, too.

Ingredients:

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 tsp salt

1 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon vanilla

3.25 cups & 2 Tablespoons sifted cake flour

2.25 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 large egg

1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and beat. Sift salt, soda, and cream of tartar with flour. Add to creamed mixture. Add chopped pecans. Dough will be rather stiff. Roll into rectangular shaped logs and refrigerate overnight. Logs can be placed in freezer for several hours, too.

Slice and bake on greased pan at 350* for 8 to 10 minutes. If dough warms slightly, it won’t hold together. Best to cut (with electric knife) thinly into rectangular pieces. These make large batches, and are great standby in the freezer if you get a sudden order for a church engagement, or a band recital/PTA meeting.