Pecan Sandies

Pecan Sandies are easy, slice and bake shortbread cookies loaded with pecans and literally melt in your mouth. They’re sweet, buttery, nutty, and delicious.

These pecan cookies are easy to make in one bowl with just 4 ingredients. They are slice and bake cookies which means no rolling out dough or cookie cutters needed. Plus, you can make them ahead because both the cookies and dough are freezer-friendly!

Why You'll Love these Pecan Sandies

• So easy to make. These one bowl cookies are so easy to make with just 4 ingredients. Once the dough comes together, shape it, chill it, slice it, and bake. That’s it!
• The different textures. When the main ingredient in these cookies are butter, you know these cookies are going to be good. Along with crunchy pecans and fine confectioners’ sugar, these pecan sandies are melt-in-your-mouth buttery with a little crunch.
• Serve them any time. Make pecan cookies as part of a cookie exchange on your holiday baking list, or serve them with a warm cup of tea or milk any time of the year.
• Make ahead and freezer-friendly. You can even prepare the dough in advance and store in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking, or in the freezer for up to 3 months! You can enjoy freshly baked pecan shortbread on demand — whenever you want!

Ingredients

To make these easy Pecan Sandies this holiday season, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card at bottom of post):

• butter - arguably the most important ingredient in shortbread.
• Confectioner's sugar - this creates pecan sandies cookies that melt-in-your-mouth. You could also use granulated sugar for the same taste, but the texture will not be the same.
• all-purpose flour
• pure vanilla extract - adds a hint of flavor, but you can opt to leave it out.
• pecans - you can chop the pecans either by hand or throw them into a heavy duty blender or food processor and pulse mix until coarse (almost fine), but not yet powdery.

Equipment needed

You will also need:

• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowl
• stand mixer or hand mixer
• plastic cling wrap
• half sheet baking pan
• wire cooling rack

How to Make the Pecan Sandies

1. Make the dough: Cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and beat on medium until incorporated. Gradually add the flour and beat on low speed until combined. Add pecans and beat until incorporated. The dough will look very dry at this point.
2. Form the dough. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute until dough starts to clump together becomes more breadcrumb-like and less dry (You should be able to easily shape the dough into a ball using your hands).
3. Shape the dough into logs: Divide the dough in half and shape each into a ball. Then roll into a log, 2-inches in diameter. You can roll it thicker but you will get less cookies out of it. Wrap the logs tightly with plastic cling wrap.

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4. Chill the dough: Refrigerate for 2 hours, up to overnight. You could even save one log for later and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
5. Slice the cookies: Use a sharp long knife to cut the dough into ¼-inch to ½-inch slices, and place about 1-inch apart on two half sheet baking pans lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

6. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges. Allow cookies to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

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Variations

Want to change up the flavor? Customize Pecan Sandies by doing the following:

• Add vanilla extract. I often add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to shortbread cookies because I love the hint of flavor that they add.
• Dip in chocolate. Melt a few ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in a double broiler or the microwave and dip these cookies in. You can dip them completely, dip them halfway, or drizzle the chocolate on top.
• Customize the nuts. Feel free to substitute the pecans with any other nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.

How to Serve

We like to make Pecan Sandies during Christmas as part of a Holiday Cookie Box to gift to family and friends, along with our favorite holiday cookies such as:

• Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Linzer Cookies
• Gingersnaps
• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Snickerdoodles

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

• Baked cookies: Once cooled, store the pecan sandies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Cookie dough: Store shortbread cookie dough once shaped into a log and wrapped tightly with cling wrap for up to 3 days in the refrigerator before baking.

How to Freeze

• Baked cookies: Once cooled, arrange the cookies in a single layers in an airtight container, layered in between pieces of parchment paper. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Cookie dough: Once the dough has been shaped into a log and wrapped tightly with cling wrap, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To use, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to one hour before slicing and baking.

More Shortbread Cookies

• 30 Best Christmas Cookies
• Pecan Snowball Cookies
• Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
• Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies
• Christmas Shortbread Cookie Bites
• Linzer Cookies

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