Make this easy slice and bake pecan sandies recipe! So buttery and tender they practically melt in the mouth, with tons of crunchy toasted pecans.
These pecan sandies cookies are so nice with a cup of tea, coffee, or cocoa! Like vanilla wafers, spritz cookies, or brown edge wafers, the flavor is simple, buttery, and just sweet enough. But these have the added bonus of lots of toasty, crunchy pecans!
It’s Thanksgiving week! Hooray!
Finally the holidays are kicking off. I managed to get all my Thanksgiving recipes posted for this year and I think I’m all set! Now I can start thinking about Christmas!
Are you ready? I’m getting a sense that a lot of you are, based on all the comments I’m seeing on my gingerbread cookies recipe!
Well today I’m bringing you a new recipe, and I think it bridges the gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas just perfectly. Pecan sandies!
WHAT ARE PECAN SANDIES
My husband got so excited when he realized I was making these! He remembers snacking on Keebler Pecan Sandies as an after-school snack when he was a kid, and they were one of his favorite store-bought cookies.
My from-scratch version is a little crisp, with a tender crunch that practically melts in your mouth. The flavor is subtly sweet, and VERY buttery, with lots of added texture from the toasted pecans.
I created this recipe by taking elements of both shortbread and sables, and mashing them up for the perfect pecan sandies cookies!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PECAN SANDIES
MAKE THE DOUGH
To make these simple cookies, start by combining soft butter, sugar, and powdered sugar together in a big mixing bowl.
The granulated sugar gives a nice crispness to the cookies, and the powdered sugar gives them that unmistakable “meltaway” characteristic.
Beat these ingredients together just until smooth. You don’t need to whip a lot of air into this cookie recipe.
Next, add one egg yolk and a splash of vanilla.
Once that is all combined, you can add the flour, ground pecans, cinnamon and salt.
We are adding half the pecans to the dough, and using the other half to rim the outsides of the cookies. I just love how this looks, and tastes! You get a big hit of toasty pecan flavor every time you take a bite.
The cinnamon flavor is so subtle, you may not even pick up on it. It does not taste like a cinnamon cookie, but that little added extra really brings out the best flavor in these cookies!
Stir everything in just until it’s barely combined. You don’t want to overdo it, or your cookies could come out tough!
Divide the dough in half and roll it into logs. This is going to be a slice and bake situation!
Wrap the logs up tight in parchment, and allow them to chill for a bit. They can go into the fridge for an hour (or longer!), or if you’re in a rush you can pop them into the freezer for about 20 minutes.
SHAPE & BAKE THE COOKIES
Once the dough logs are well-chilled and stiff, brush them lightly with the remaining egg yolk.
Then, roll them in chopped pecans.
I like to use a mini chopper to chop my pecans. The pecans that are mixed in the dough get finely ground; the ones that go on the outside of the cookies can be a little more coarse.
Next just slice them up! I like to go around 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick.
Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets and into the oven they go. You’ll know they’re done baking when the bottoms of the cookies are just beginning to turn golden.
HOW TO STORE PECAN SANDIES
Once they’ve cooled completely, stash your pecan sandies in an airtight container or zip-top bag so they stay crisp and tender, and don’t become hard or stale.
CAN PECAN SANDIES BE MADE AHEAD
This is a great make-ahead recipe!
Since the dough needs to chill a while, it makes perfect sense to prepare the dough and keep it in the fridge for a day or so before you plan to bake it.
HOW LONG WILL PECAN SANDIES KEEP
These cookies will last at room temperature for 7 to 10 days. Just be sure to keep them tightly wrapped!
CAN YOU FREEZE PECAN SANDIES
You can freeze pecan sandies after baking OR before.
The dough logs will keep in the freezer for a month or two. Slip them into freezer bags to keep out the funky odors and freezer burn.
Baked pecan sandies will last in the freezer for several months to a year.
Thaw the cookies at room temp. The dough can be thawed in the refrigerator.
A few more of my favorite classic cookie recipes:
- Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
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5 stars (1 rating)
Pecan Sandies
Servings: 32 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Chill Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Make this easy slice and bake pecan sandies recipe! So buttery and tender they practically melt in the mouth, with tons of crunchy toasted pecans.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks, (large), divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (198 g) pecans, (finely chopped),* divided
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Place the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together just until smooth.
Stir in 1 egg yolk and the vanilla, until combined.
Add the flour, 1 cup of the pecans, the cinnamon, and salt, and mix together just until a stiff dough forms.
Form the dough into 2 logs, wrap them in parchment, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line baking pans with parchment.
Unwrap the logs of dough and brush with the remaining egg yolk.
Roll the logs in the remaining chopped pecans, pressing to adhere.
Slice the dough into 1/4-inch rounds and place on baking sheets.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the cookies are tender-crisp and just beginning to turn golden on the bottoms.
Notes
*Measure the pecans first, then chop finely by hand or in a food processor or mini chopper.
Calories: 138kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 38mg, Potassium: 35mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 197IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert, Snack
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