Pecan Sandies are tender, buttery shortbread-style cookies with a delicate crumb and a rich, toasted-pecan flavor. These classic cookies practically melt in your mouth. They're easy to make with simple ingredients, making them a perfect choice for holiday baking, cookie trays, or anytime you want a timeless, no-fuss cookie.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Rich, buttery flavor with no overpowering sweetness.
- Tender, crumbly texture that truly melts in your mouth.
- Toasted pecans in every bite for deep, nutty flavor.
- Straightforward technique with no chilling required.
- Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, gifts, and make-ahead baking.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Turbinado sugar is partially refined, light-brown cane sugar, available in grocery stores as Sugar in the Raw. It is similar to Demerara sugar but with larger crystals. Demerara sugar could be used in place of the Turbinado sugar.
Making the Pecan Sandies - Step-by-Step
- Start by pulsing the toasted pecans with ¼ cup of flour 4 to 5 times in a food processor with a steel blade.
- Add the rest of the flour, along with the salt and baking powder, to the food processor. Pulse the ingredients 5 or 6 times to ensure that they are well combined, and the pecans are chopped into small pieces.
- Add the butter and Turbinado sugar to a medium bowl. Beat on high until the mixture is light and fluffy. This takes around 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat on high until the vanilla is well incorporated. This takes around 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and pecan mixture. Start by beating on low until the flour starts to be incorporated. Finish mixing the dough with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until everything is well incorporated.
- Using a 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop, portion the dough into 1 ounce pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place it on a silicone or parchment-lined half-sheet pan. Gently press a pecan half into the center of each ball of dough. If the dough cracks, gently press the cracks together.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for around 22 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
These Pecan Sandies are proof that simplicity can be spectacular. With their buttery crumb, toasted pecan flavor, and classic presentation, these cookies are a reliable favorite year after year.
Whether you're baking for the holidays or just craving a traditional cookie done right, this recipe delivers every time.Yum!
Chula's Test Kitchen Tips
- Don't skip the step of toasting the pecans. Toasted pecans make a noticeable difference in the flavor of the cookies.
- Turbinado sugar adds a subtle crunch to the cookies without making them coarse.
- Weigh your ingredients and the dough portions. Flour especially varies greatly depending on how its measured. Weighing the dough portions ensures even baking and uniform cookies.
- Cracks are normal when pressing the pecan halves into the dough. Simply press the cracks together and smooth before baking.
- For the best texture bake the cookies just until they are lightly golden at the edges, not deeply browned.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but turbinado sugar adds subtle texture and depth that works especially well in these cookies.
A food processor makes it much faster to chop the pecans finely, but you can also chop them very finely by hand.
Stored in an airtight container, they keep well for several days and are excellent make-ahead cookies.
Yes. Baked cookies freeze well for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Other Cookies With Pecans
If you're a fan of pecans like I am, try these amazing cookies:
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Pecan Sandies
Equipment
- Scale
- Food Processor with Steel Blade
- medium bowl
- Electric Mixer
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- 2 Half-sheet pans lined iwth silicone liner or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan pieces, toasted (See Note 1)
- 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (8 ounces, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (3.875 ounces) turbinado sugar (See Note 2)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 24 whole pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 half-sheet baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pulse toasted pecans and ¼ cup of flour in a food processor fitted with a steel blade 4 or 5 times. Add the remaining 1 ¾ cups of flour, salt, and baking powder. Pulse 5 or 6 times to ensure that all ingredients are well combined and the pecans are chopped into small pieces.
- Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract; beat on high until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add flour/pecan mixture. Beat on low speed just until the flour begins to incorporate. Finish mixing with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula.
- Portion the dough into 1-ounce pieces using a 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop. Roll into a ball and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. (See Note 3)
- Press a whole pecan half into the center of each ball. (See Note 4)
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Yield: 24 or 25 Pecan Sandies. (See Note 5)
Tips/Notes
- To toast pecans, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure that you don't over-toast.
- Turbinado sugar can be purchased as Sugar in the Raw in the grocery store. You can also use Demerara sugar in place of the Turbinado sugar.
- I used a kitchen scale to ensure that each piece of dough weighed 1 ounce.
- When the pecan was pressed into the dough, the dough was flattened to about ½-inch. The pressing of the pecan caused some of the dough to crack. I pressed the cracks together and smoothed them out before baking the cookies.
- The cookies will keep for several days when stored in an airtight container.
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