Pecan Sandies Recipe
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These Pecan Sandies cookies combine crispy, buttery, and nutty goodness to make this cookie an all-time favorite.
No cookie platter is complete without these nutty and buttery Pecan Sandies. These may seem unassuming next to chocolatey cookies, or those fabulous decorated cookies, but these are sneaky good. These crispy cookies are not overly sweet and they make an excellent compliment to tea or coffee. I remember this cookie always being one of my mother’s favorites. And of course, mom always knows best.
Think shortbread plus crunchy pecans. That’s this cookie in a nutshell. (No pun intended.) These Pecan Sandies pack well and are a good cookie for sharing during the holidays as edible gifts, or for a cookie exchange.
Preparation for these cookies is pretty basic. Begin by beating together (with an electric mixer) the butter and sugar until smooth. Add in a bit of ice water, salt, cinnamon, flour, finely chopped pecans (or walnuts) and a vanilla extract. Mix the dough to combine well, then cover tightly in plastic wrap or a zip top plastic bag and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Once chilled, firmly form 1-inch dough balls. The dough tends to be a bit crumbly, so take time to press it together well to hold the shape.
Place dough balls on ungreased parchment lined baking sheets about 2-inches apart. Use a flat-bottomed glass to gently flatten balls to about 1/2-inch thick. Or if you’d like roll into crescent shapes. All that’s left to do is bake. It takes about 20 minutes at 325-degrees F.
The dough for these Pecan Sandies works best when chilled for a while before divvying them up for baking. The dough can also be formed into a roll, chilled for a few days and then sliced for baking as needed.
Check out these other cookie recipes that will make good cookie tray partners for these Pecan Sandies:
- Pretzel M&M Cookies Recipe
- Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies Recipe
- Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal No Bake Cookies Recipe
- Apple Cinnamon Cookies Recipe from Dine and Dish
Pecan Sandies Recipe
Pecan Sandies Recipe
These nutty, buttery and crunchy cookies are similar to shortbread.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, slightly softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ice water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans (walnuts are a good substitute)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325-degrees F. Line baking sheets with baking parchment.
Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar until smooth.
Add all other ingredients and mix to combine.
Chill dough covered for at least 30 minutes.
By hand, firmly form dough into 1-inch balls. Dough will be crumbly so take time to press it together well to hold shape. Place dough balls on parchment lined baking sheets about 2-inches apart. Using a flat bottom glass, gently flatten balls to about 1/2-inch thick, or roll into crescent shapes.
Bake at 325-degrees F for 20 minutes.
Notes
Optional: If a bit more sweetness is desired, dust or gently toss cookies with powdered sugar.
oh my goodness! pecan sandies were always an extra special treat when I was growing up. to this day they are a favorite.
They are so good with a cup of coffee or cocoa.
Hi Amy. Love your website. Could you please convert one stick of butter to grams? Thank you.
Sure. 1 stick of butter is equal or 113 grams (or 1/2 cup or 4 ounces).
MMMMM, these look delicious! Great recipe!!!
I’ll trade you a ton of cookies for that chocolate peppermint cake I just saw you post. I think I’d come out on the better end of things. That cake looks amazing!
Hi, just found your blog and so happy I did! I must have been living under a rock ~ 🙂
Looking through your recipes, I’m drooling! Perhaps I didn’t see it but can you tell me how many cookies
this recipe makes?
Thanks so much!
Pat
Hello Pat! Depending on how thick you make them, about 4 dozen.
So delicious. My husband is going to love these! Wondering if I made an error though..my batch made only two dozen. I’ll double up next time. Thanks.
Wow! Can’t believe no eggs?
When you say “plain flour,” is that all-purpose or self-rising? Really want to make these for my husband. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
It means all-purpose flour.
Major issue! My batch isn’t hardening the way a pecan Sandie should. What’d I do wrong??
Bake for 20 minutes is that right?? So it takes about an hour to bake 3 dozen cookies?
Yes, these cookies take 20 minutes to bake.
I’m sorry I thought they were tastless. Needs more sugsr or something. Very dry even with additional butter added. Won’t make these again.
They are supposed to be a bit dry because they are “sandies.” They should be crisp and buttery, but not moist and chewy at all.
Trying very hard to work with
The recipe just didn’t work for me. I measured everything very closely and the dough was just too crumbly. Too much flour. The cookies even had a “floury” taste. May try again using maybe 75% of the flour at most.
I’ve made these and they are great! They are a shortbread kind of cookie so yes, no eggs. I have a recipe that I use that is very similar except I use brown sugar instead of white sugar. That might help with the person that wanted a bit more flavor. Always toast your pecans before you put them in anything. That intensifies the flavor. Just a few bits of advice.
Thank you for the advice one toasting the peacans. I was trying to figure out how to bring the pea an flavor out!!
How many does 1 batch make?
I’m gonna make these for my mother but the dry crumbly part concerns me. She loves sandies but chokes alot. SO, I make them, put them in a tin with a slice of bread and see if they soften a bit. Works on everything else.
Just saying.
And since I’m a lousy cook, these look easy.
I’m trying this recipe today
I didn’t use all the dough. How long will the dough last in the refrigerator? Everyone at my party loved them!!
Thanks:)
If wrapped tightly, it should last at least a week in the refrigerator.
Once I sat and ate a whole box of pecan sandies in one sitting. I was younger then. I am wiser now. Still my all time favorite and these bring back a warm spot in my heart! Thanks for sharing this recipe. (Great pics!)
Put a piece of waxed paper between the glass and the cookie so it won’t stick
Hi. How many does this recipe yield?!