These easy pecan sandies cookies have a delicious shortbread base, and only 6 ingredients! You can make them quickly, no need to refrigerate the dough.
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Pecan sandies are really just pecan shortbread cookies. So how can something so simple be so mystifyingly delicious? Something magical happens when they bake, as the roasted pecan flavor infuses the dough.
Bonus: they are one of the easiest cookies to make, EVER. No chilling, no rolling, no cutting, no stand mixer, etc. Just bring the dough together in one bowl, shape, and bake, because we want cookies NOW! And we're making them a little more adult by adding some fancy flaky sea salt on top.
Pecan sandies are crisp but tender, and not overly sweet. They melt in your mouth, but they're sturdy enough to dunk. So pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, grab some of these beautiful cookies and have yourself a day.
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These pecan sandies are easy, quick, and tasty
- You don't have to refrigerate the cookie dough.
- You don't need a stand mixer, just a hand mixer and one bowl.
- They bake in less than 15 minutes.
- Flaky sea salt on top adds flavor and texture.
- The cookies are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Their shortbread base is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!!
Ingredients you'll need
- Pecans: Of course! But not just any old ones. I order mine from Millican Pecan because they are fresh from the orchard and have much better flavor. (Grocery store pecans can be up to two years old! Eeeek!)
- Salted butter: YES, salted butter!
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt: My favorite is Maldon.
The secret to the best pecan sandies is salted butter!
Why salted butter? Because pecans want salt to bring out their best flavor. And nothing does a better job of distributing the salt evenly throughout the dough than salted butter. But don't worry, it doesn't make the cookie dough taste too salty. We're even adding flaky sea salt on top! Pecan sandies cookies love salt!!
How to make pecan sandies cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
Use a good chef's knife to chop the pecans finely.
Use a hand mixer to cream together the softened butter, vanilla and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until well mixed and slightly fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
Add the flour and pecans to the bowl and stir together with a spatula.
Once the dough starts coming together, finish by kneading it with your hands for a minute or two until it holds together. It will still be loose and sandy.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the parchment lined baking sheets.
Use a the bottom of a small glass (or your fingers) to gently flatten the cookies to about ¼ inch thickness. The edges will spread and be rough, the cookies will not remain perfectly round. This is lovely because the rough edges get crispy and delightful.
Bake one sheet pan at a time on the center rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet on top of a wire rack while the next batch bakes. Then gently transfer the parchment with the cookies on it to the rack to finish cooling.
Tips for baking and storing pecan sandies cookies
- Even if you are using pecans that are already chopped, I want you to chop them more. You want both small pieces of pecans and those finely ground little bits that happen when you chop them yourself. Those bits get distributed throughout the cookies and act almost like pecan flour, resulting in even more pecan flavor.
- When rolling to cookies into balls, you might find that the dough doesn't want to hold together initially, but keep going until it does.
- If you find that the cookie wants to stick to the bottom of the glass when flattening, push the glass away from you slightly once you've reached the desired thickness. This should result in the cookie letting go and staying on the parchment. If not, just peel it off the bottom of the glass and put it back on the baking sheet. It might break apart a bit, but just bring it back together with your fingers. These are rustic, they don't have to be absolutely perfect.
- Store pecan sandies cookies in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies or the cookie dough. Once baked, pecan sandies will keep in the freezer in an airtight container for several months. If freezing the unbaked dough, you can form the dough balls, place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until frozen, then transfer them to an airtight freezer container for up to two months. When ready to bake, allow them to come to room temperature, then flatten and bake as directed in this recipe.
Related recipes
If you're here for more pecan content:
- Pecan Bars are like a shortbread cookie with pecan pie on top. I mean, come on!!
- Use those pecans in a savory situation and make a Kale Salad with Cranberries, Apples and Pecans.
If it's cookies you want, then cookies you shall have.
- These Homemade Alfajores Cookies are filled with dulce de leche and will give you a taste of Argentina!
- If you're just nutty for nuts in your cookies, you can't go wrong with Flourless Chocolate Cookies with Hazelnuts.
Recipe
Pecan Sandies Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1½ cups flour
- pinch maldon sea salt or other flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Chop the pecans into small pieces.
- Use a hand mixer to cream together the softened butter, vanilla and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until well mixed and slightly fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the flour and pecans to the bowl and stir together with a spatula.
- Once the dough starts coming together, finish by kneading it with your hands for a minute or two until it holds together. It will still be loose and sandy.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the parchment lined baking sheets. Use a the bottom of a small glass (or your fingers) to gently flatten the cookies to about ¼ inch thickness. The edges will spread and be rough, the cookies will not remain perfectly round. This is lovely because the rough edges get crispy and delightful.
- Bake one sheet pan at a time on the center rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet on top of a wire rack while the next batch bakes. Then gently transfer the parchment with the cookies on it to the rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- I buy my pecans from Millican Pecan. They are the mother pecan orchard in the U.S. and only sell pecans from the most recent harvest. You can absolutely taste the difference! (Pecans in the grocery store can be up to two years old!! Yuck!)
- Even if you are using pecans that are already chopped, I want you to chop them more. You want both small pieces of pecans and those finely ground little bits that happen when you chop them yourself. Those bits get distributed throughout the cookies and act almost like pecan flour, resulting in even more pecan flavor.
- When rolling to cookies into balls, you might find that the dough doesn't want to hold together initially, but keep going until it does.
- If you find that the cookie wants to stick to the bottom of the glass when flattening, push the glass away from you slightly once you've reached the desired thickness. This should result in the cookie letting go and staying on the parchment. If not, just peel it off the bottom of the glass and put it back on the baking sheet. It might break apart a bit, but just bring it back together with your fingers. These are rustic, they don't have to be absolutely perfect.
- Store pecan sandies cookies in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days.
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