2 Half-sheet pans lined iwth silicone liner or parchment paper
Ingredients
1cuppecan pieces, toasted (See Note 1)
2cups(10 ounces) all-purpose flour, divided
¾teaspoonKosher salt
½teaspoonbaking powder
1cup(8 ounces, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½cup(3.875 ounces) turbinado sugar (See Note 2)
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
24whole 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.