Pecan Sandies are loaded with chopped pecans and a rich, buttery flavor. Add a whole pecan to the top of these shortbread cookies for some extra crunch and even more nutty flavor. The recipe comes together quickly and makes 30 cookies. They are irresistible!
How to quickly get butter to room temperature?
I’ve been baking for a long time, but just recently discovered a shortcut that makes baking cookies easier. Often times, I won’t have room temperature butter for the recipe that I am making. So, I’ve found a great way to get my butter prepared for baking without using the microwave. Using a microwave should be the last resort, as trying to soften butter this way can be tricky at best.
The answer is quite simple. Using a sharp knife, cut the sticks of butter into half-inch cubes. It increases the surface area of the butter and allows it to become soft in a shorter amount of time. I let it set out for 10-15 minutes to soften, instead of a full 30 minutes needed for a whole stick of butter.
This allows me just enough time to get my stand mixer out and prep the rest of my ingredients. It’s a great little trick to getting your cookies to turn out perfectly. As you may know, melted or over-softened butter can make your cookies spread out when baking, resulting in thin, flat, oily cookies. And no one wants that!
If you butter does become too soft, there is a fix. Simple refrigerate your cookie dough for an hour before baking your cookies. This adds time to the process, but may save you from a baking disaster in the long run.
Pecan Sandies
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
- 30 pecan halves (for top of cookies)
How to make Pecan Sandies?
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat on low for about 3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and salt and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
- Slowly blend in the flour.
- Add the nuts and blend on low just until incorporated.
- Form 1-inch balls from the dough and place them on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper. Flatten each cookie with a glass that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top each cookie with a pecan.
- Bake the cookies for 16 minutes or until they begin to get lightly browned. Allow cookies to rest on the baking tray before removing them to wire racks to cool completely.
You’ll love these cookies. I sure do! One of my all time favorites. My mother used to put them in my lunch box when I was a kid. There’s nothing better that one of these cookies and a tall, cold glass of milk.
Check out the printable recipe below. These Pecan Sandies will quickly earn a spot in your regular baking lineup!
Pecan Sandies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
- 30 pecan halves for top of cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat on low for about 3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and salt and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
- Slowly blend in the flour.
- Add the nuts and blend on low just until incorporated.
- Form 1-inch balls from the dough and place them on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper. Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top each cookie with a pecan.
- Bake the cookies for 16 minutes or until they begin to get lightly browned. Allow cookies to rest on the baking tray before removing them to wire racks to cool completely.
