Description
Ina Garten’s pecan sandies deliver a classic shortbread cookie with nutty richness and delicate crumble. Buttery pecans and powdered sugar create an irresistible southern-style treat you will savor with afternoon tea or coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ pound (2 sticks / 227 grams) butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup (4 ounces / 113 grams) pecan halves
- ½ cup (100 grams) demerara or turbinado sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- 24 whole pecan halves
Instructions
- Pecan Preparation: Toast pecan halves on a baking sheet at 350°F for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, then cool completely.
- Flour Mixture: Pulse cooled pecans with flour in a food processor until finely ground, then combine with remaining flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
- Butter Creaming: Using an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and pale, creating a fluffy base.
- Dough Formation: Gradually blend flour mixture and vanilla extract into creamed butter, mixing on low speed until a soft, cohesive dough develops.
- Cookie Shaping: Form dough into uniform 1-inch balls, placing them on parchment-lined baking sheets and gently pressing a whole pecan half into the center of each cookie.
- Baking Process: Bake cookies for 20-25 minutes until edges turn golden brown, then allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Toasting Pecans: Carefully toast pecans to enhance their rich, nutty flavor and prevent a raw, bitter taste. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Grinding Technique: Pulse pecans with flour to create a fine, even powder that ensures smooth cookie texture and prevents clumping.
- Dough Consistency: Cream butter and sugar thoroughly until light and fluffy, which helps create a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
- Shaping Precision: Use uniform-sized dough balls and gently press whole pecans into the center for consistent baking and professional-looking presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 182
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 37.5 mg
- Fat: 13.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.5 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg