Pecan Sandies
Pecan sandies are one of those recipes that seem to flitter off to the back of my mind. So simple, so easy, so rich and flavorful, that it’s a wonder I’m not whipping them up once a week! These cookies have the consistency of a shortbread, albeit a bit softer and sweeter thanks to the addition of brown sugar. Packed full of pecans, the contrasting salty crunch with the sweet chewiness of the cookies is a perfect combination for when you need to satisfy a sweet or a salty craving. If I had to choose the best thing about these cookies, it would be that there is no egg in the batter, making for guilt-free dough indulgences! With a low difficulty level and no foods that could cause contamination, this is a perfect recipe to make with kids as well. Instead of chopping the nuts, let them crush the pecans in their hands. Fun for them, and lots of big chunks in the cookies, yum!
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One year ago: Three Cheese Beer Bread
Two years ago: Vanilla & Chocolate Hazelnut Birthday Cake
Three years ago: Pepperoni Bread
Pecan Sandies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, (4 ounces )
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (99 g) pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, beating just until combined. Fold in the pecans.
- 3. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls (I used a medium-size cookie scoop) and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. With the dampened bottom of a glass, lightly flatten each ball.
- 4. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
After reading about the oily cookies that some people ended up with, I took a few steps which may have helped (not sure though, I’m no expert):
– Used Challenge-brand unsalted butter, out of the fridge and cut into small cubes (mixing with the brown sugar took some time).
– Bought the pecans already in pieces (as opposed to breaking them up by hand, which may contribute to releasing oils).
– Used a no-rim cookie sheet, kept cold in the freezer until I was ready to roll the cookies.
– Used the convection setting on my oven, at 325, for 15 minutes. Did not open the door once (did not rotate the pan).
Cookies did not spread at all during the bake! I let them cool on a rack, still on the cookie sheet, for another 10 minutes, then moved them off the pan and onto the rack to finish. Delicious texture and flavor! I don’t like a very crunchy cookie, but those who do might leave them in the oven another minute or two.
Mine have a good flavor but turned out more like a super crunchy brittle. Pecan sandies are my husband’s favorite so I just called them pecan cookies.
10/1o wonderful recipe. I made these for Mother’s yesterday and due to my mother’s gluten allergy I substituted 1/1 Bob’s Red Mill flour and they turned out perfectly. Highly suggest if you are gluten-free.
Love this receipe uses brown sugar instead of standard white and is a smaller batch. The 2yr old loved crushing the pecans (and or trail mix we’ve used before) in a ziplock baggie.
Tip to reduce oilyness…after forming dough into balls put in refrigerator for a few minutes. Oilyness also has to do with if you are using real butter or a processed spread type butter which is butter blended with oil.
Great receipe thanks for sharing.
OMG! Your pictures caught my eye and then you had me hooked. Well done. Wonderful recipe. I am a pecan sandie fan so always looking for the ultimate recipe. Yours is a good one.
Hello BEB! May I use Earth Balance butter sticks for these lovelys?
I wonder if maybe butter that is a bit over-softened initially may result in the oily texture? I was initially worried because my butter was on the colder size when I was mixing, but the end result texture turned out perfect. I didn’t use parchment paper (just a nonstick cookie sheet), and I ended up with 14 generous-sized cookies. I thought about rolling each ball of dough in sugar before placing it on the cookie sheet to get a sweeter taste, but I’m happy I decided not to. It’s nice to not have an overpoweringly-sweet cookie every now and then!
I substituted powdered sugar for the brown sugar, just cause I wanted to make sure it would be a dry texture. Yummy:)
Mine turned out extremely oily, I followed instructions exactly, not sure what went wrong. Either needs less butter or more flour:(
I just made these and although I’ve never heard of them , the picture led me to expect a big fluffy cookie. Mine are flat and taste very oily….very disappointed. I made 32 out of the batch ..maybe too small?
I just made these this morning since my little 2 year old asked me to make him cookies – can’t resist that request! They were delicious and my son who is already a chocoholic at his young age loved them too. Thanks for sharing!
Just made these. I had allot of pecans in the fridge and was scouring the internet for a sweet way to use them that did not include pecan pie. WOW. These are different than your standard “pecan sandies” in that they have the big chunks of pecans. While “rough” chopping them, I was tempted to keep going. They just seemed so large. NOPE. This is what makes them GREAT. Big toasty chunks of pecan. Yummy. This is a keeper. Thanks
By the way. Great pics. Mine looked the same so directions are spot on!
This cookie recipe is amazing! Everything you could possibly imagine a perfect sandie to be! I agree with Sarah, must give them away ASAP before they all end up in my tummy :/