Pecan Shortbread Cookies
The original recipe for these shortbread cookies made half the amount, but my mom, after baking then for the first time, insisted they should be doubled (or tripled). These simple cookies are just that good.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt and set aside. Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour mixture, then the pecans, to make a stiff dough.
- Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, form each half of the dough into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap each log tightly in parchment paper. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least two hours or overnight.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°.
- Unwrap and slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until beginning to brown around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. The cookies can be prepared up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Feel free to try different nuts or other mix-ins, like mini chocolate chips, in this dough. At Christmastime, I sometimes dip the baked cookies in melted white chocolate and sprinkle them with colored sugar.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
