Pecan Sandies Cookies Recipe (Easy Shortbread)
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Pecan Sandies Cookies are soft, sweet shortbread with an irresistibly nutty crunch! With a classic vanilla and almond flavor and delicate, crumbly texture, my Pecan Sandies recipe creates the perfect anytime treat that will simply melt in your mouth!
Once you make your own homemade pecan sandies, you’ll be hooked on this buttery cookie.
The little pecan pieces paired with the golden brown crunch will have you grabbing a buttery shortbread cookie for each hand to eat and enjoy.
These baked cookies pair really well with a hot cup of coffee, and the nutty flavor is what makes these stand out above other easy cookie recipes.
If you’re a fan of crunchy pecans and love cookies – you have to make this recipe! These crumbly cookies will be your new favorite way to indulge!
Pecan Sandies Cookies
Shortbreads are beyond simple to make, and they’re a super satisfying snack or dessert.
With my Pecan Shortbread recipe, you can make the perfect batch of 24 cookies with a flavor that is so much better than store bought!!
Not only that, but this shortbread recipe takes just 30 minutes to make!
If you’re looking for great Christmas cookie ideas, cranberry shortbread is perfect!
Fantastically fruity and buttery soft, they’re perfect for a cookie exchange! We also have a monster cookie recipe that is a favorite during the holidays.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter – Let the butter come to room temperature before using.
And if you opt for salted butter, then omit the salt from this recipe. - Granulated Sugar – I use white sugar to maintain the classically sandy texture of pecan sandies.
For a smoother texture and slight molasses flavor, you can substitute ¼ cup brown sugar for ¼ cup of white. - Pecans – This nut is the classic variety for the shortbread cookies.
But if they’re not your thing, really any nut will do. Finely chopped walnuts are a good option.
You can also save yourself time in making these buttery pecan sandies by buying pre-chopped pecans at the grocery store!
It’s much quicker than dicing up those pecan halves on your own!
Pecan Sandies Recipe FAQ
Sandies are named for their unique texture. Instead of a moist, cakey cookie, pecan sandies cookies are almost sand-like.
This homemade version is a basic shortbread dough containing butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, flour, and just a pinch of salt. Plus, chopped pecans, of course. None of the artificial ingredients or chemical preservatives that you might find in a store bought variety!
This Pecan Sandies recipe creates 2 dozen (2 ½ inch) cookies, with 249 calories each. To reduce the calories, use a smaller sized cookie cutter.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to chill the dough.
Chilled dough spreads far less while baking, so your cookies will keep their shape and height better.
It only needs to chill for 30 minutes, but feel free to chill it overnight.
Pro Tip for Rolling Cut-Out Cookie Dough
If you are new at making cut-out cookies, it can be hard to judge the thickness of the dough. This is my tip:
- Go to a craft store and purchase two dowel rods, one in ¼ -inch thickness and one in ½ -inch thickness.
- Cut each dowel rod in half.
- Using the thickness of your choice, lay one half on each side of your dough, rolling pin width apart.
The rods will act as the perfect “frame” for you to roll the dough to your desired thickness!
Pecan Shortbread Topping Ideas
A topping of chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, or sugar cookie icing would be a scrumptious addition to your pecan shortbread cookies!
Extra chopped nuts can be sprinkled right on top, or just a dusting of powdered sugar.
Storing and Freezing Pecan Shortbread Cookies
The shortbread dough used to make these cookies can be kept in the fridge for up to a day, or frozen for a couple of months.
Either way, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, or store in an airtight container. Let frozen dough thaw in the fridge before baking, though.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Fabulous Christmas Cookie Recipes
Pecan Sandies Cookies Recipe (Easy Shortbread)
Equipment
- 2.5-inch round cookie cutter or size/shape of your choice
Ingredients
- 12 ounces unsalted butter, softened, but still cold
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting rolling surface
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer and large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and both extracts on high speed, just until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, incorporate the flour mixture into the bowl with the butter/sugar mixture, just until combined. Do not over mix or your cookies will be too dry.
- Add the chopped pecans and continue mixing on low speed until the dough starts to come together. If dough is too crumbly, with the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until the dough comes together. If it is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
- Turn dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After chilling, transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough to ¼ to ½-inch thick. *See Notes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, cut out cookies using a plain or fluted 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, or use any size/shape of cutter you desire. Gather unused dough and re-roll as necessary.
- Transfer the unbaked shortbread cookies to an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Remove pan from oven and allow cookies to sit on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and allow them to cool to room temperature.
Donna’s Notes
Pro Tip for Rolling Cookie Dough
If you are new at rolling out cookie dough, it can be hard to judge the thickness. This is my tip:- Go to a craft store and purchase two dowel rods, one in ¼ -inch thickness and one in ½ -inch thickness.
- Cut each dowel rod in half.
- Using the thickness of your choice, lay one half on each side of your dough, rolling pin width apart. The rods will act as the perfect “frame” for you to roll the dough to your desired thickness!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally Published August 2011, updated and republished August 2024
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I love shortbread cookies and adding the pecans…YUMMY!
Ohhhh I love shortbread! A classic cookie. They look perfect 🙂
I have this new obsession with pecans and almonds in dessert! I will be making these come fall! They have a fall look to me!! I cannot wait wait wait for Fall sick of this 100 degree weather we have here!
I'd like a dozen!
Wait a sec, I just realized that you didn't bring me one of these to sample when I saw you last night. These look perfect. My mom would love them too!
I adore shortbread cookies. You just can't stop just eating one or two. Addictive and delicious!
I have made these cookies for years. I chill my dough for 24 hours and the pecan taste goes through them. For Christmas, I roll them into small logs and bake, then dust them two times with confectioners sugar. My family loves them and friends request them every year.
These sound awesome, I should make some for my little guy 2 months younger than Em..
Thanks!
Sounds wonderful! I haven't made shortbread cookies in ages…these look delightful! 🙂
Tammy♥
I love Ina, lol! These look amazing and so simple to make =)
I have been collecting recipes for pecan shortbread cookies! Yours look great – can't go wrong with Ina Garten!
Pecan sandies were always my favorite packaged cookie, so these are right up my alley! What a great thing to do with Em…a great way to learn her shapes!
I always have a jar with shortbread cookies ,never made them with pecan:)
Homemade is always better than garbage cookies 🙂 Love them!
I found you at my friend pegasuslegend, your recipes are fabulous! I'm following you immediately, I love to eat. These cookies are mouth-watering! I always make mine at home too, I don't let my daughter eat processed foods. Greetings from Rome!
I found a link to this recipe from Deelicious Sweets.
These look wonderful…I only wish I could have one. 🙂
These look delish!! I just made a shortbread today as well– I will be sharing it later in the week. I must say though, have you thought about buying vanilla beans and using seeds in the cookies? I used them today– I love the specs in the cookies!
These look great. I have been searching for a pecan shortbread and I'm making them tonight!
These remind me of my mom's refrigerator cookies, yummy ! Could they be rolled into logs and sliced before baking?
Absolutely! I bet that would be fantastic.
I would like to do a gluten free version. Any suggestions?
I love these..they also good rolled in powered sugar…Yummy my favorite!
How much is 3/4 pound of butter?
3 sticks of butter
Can I use black walnuts and black walnut flavoring?
About how many cookies does this recipe yield? Thank you
MMM Pecan Shortbread, trying these tomorrow! Nettie
Will this recipe work if I half it?