Now is the time to taste these easy to make Pecan Sandies! You will love this buttery, crispy, sweet, and nutty pecan cookie.
What is a Pecan Sandies Cookie?
This cookie will remind you of a shortbread cookie. The basic ingredients are butter, sugar, flour and of course, pecans. So there you go!
I've added almond extract and cinnamon to this cookie recipe. Feel free to leave those two flavors out if you like or let me know in the comments below what you think of these additions.
I was asked to bring these cookies to Anna and Vince's 2019 Gr8 Dinner that we enjoyed oceanside. Pecan Sandies were the perfect dessert for a beach barbecue dinner party and a sand pail was an awesome serving vessel!
Easy to make!
- Cream the butter and sugars.
- Add the extracts.
- Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and pecans.
- Bake and eat!
Done!
You can make this cookie recipe ahead of time!
Keep baked pecan sandies in the freezer-
Baked cookies can be kept in the freezer for 3 - 4 weeks in a freezer safe container.
Keep cookie dough in the fridge-
After adding the pecans to the cookie dough, wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator up to 4 days. When ready to bake, proceed with step #7 below.
Keep the cookie dough in the freezer-
Freeze the cookie dough for up to two months and thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Keep the unbaked cookies in the freezer-
You can freeze the raw cookies on a baking sheet after step #7 and once the cookies are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and store them in a freezer safe container with wax or parchment paper between the layers of cookies.
When time to bake, thaw in the refrigerator. Bake from the refrigerator according to directions below.
We hope you enjoy these cookies and other Great 8 Friends cookie recipes!
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Easy Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ sticks, room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), using a paddle attachment, cream together the butter with the brown and confectioner's sugars. Mix for about a minute.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts.
- To the bowl, add the flour, salt, and cinnamon and mix until combined.
- Add the chopped pecans and mix on low just until the pecans are distributed in the dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes (longer is fine).
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 325℉. Line the baking sheets with parchment.
- Using a 1" cookie scoop, scoop out about a 1" ball (1 ounce each). Place each cookie dough ball about 2" apart on the prepared baking sheet. Using the bottom of a glass, press down until the cookie is about ½" thick. If the dough sticks to the bottom of the glass, just gently use the edge of a small spatual to break away. This dough can be a bit crumbly so just use your fingers to form the dough.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Because my oven seems to be hotter in the back, I set the timer for seven minutes and then turn the cookie sheet around so that the cookies that were in the back are now in the front and set the timer for 8 minutes more.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes and then gently transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Gr8 Make Ahead Notes:
- Baked cookies can be kept in the freezer for 3 - 4 weeks in a freezer safe container.
- Prepared cookie dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days wrapped in tightly in plastic wrap. When ready to bake, proceed with step #7 above.
- Cookie dough can be kept in the freezer for up to two months wrapped in plastic wrap.
- You can freeze the raw cookies on a baking sheet after step #6 above. Once the cookies are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and store in a freezer safe container with wax or parchment paper in between the layers of cookies for 3 - 4 weeks. When your life needs a cookies, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge and when ready to bake, proceed with step #8 above.
Gr8 Notes:
- If you don't have almond extract, you can increase the vanilla extract to 1 ¾ teaspoons.
- Add some pizzaz to your pecan sandies lightly sprinkle some confectioners sugar on the cookies 10 minutes after taking out of the oven. For extra flavor, try mini chocolate or white chips, toffee chips or dried cherries.
Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think!