Best Shortbread Pecan Cookies Recipes

EASY PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• To toast pecans, sprinkle in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until nuts begin to brown, then stirring constantly until nuts are light brown. Remove from heat; cool.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating just until blended. Stir in toasted pecans and vanilla.
• Divide dough in half; shape each portion into 2 (1 1/4-inch-thick) logs (about 12 inches long). Wrap in cooking parchment paper; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Unwrap dough; cut into 1/4-inch slices. On cookie sheets, place slices 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

BUTTER PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer or a food processor, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy.
• Add flour, ground pecans, vanilla and salt and beat just until it forms a smooth dough.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow it to firm up just enough to shape.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
• By hand, roll dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place them on the prepared cookie sheet and flatten very slightly (to about 1/2-inch thickness) with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the glass (If you have a cookie stamp, you can use it to flatten the cookies instead of the glass).
• Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until set and very lightly browned on the bottom.
• Remove from pan and let cool on a rack.

COCONUT PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH CARAMEL FILLING

Steps:

• To make the shortbread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place coconut on a baking sheet, and toast until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer the coconut to a cutting board, and finely chop. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Spread the pecans on the baking pan, and toast until fragrant and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Transfer the pecans to a cutting board, and finely chop. Add to bowl with the coconut.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, flour, and salt; beat to combine. Stir in coconut and pecans.
• Form the dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill until firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4-inch-thick. Using a 2 1/4-inch fluted pastry cutter, cut out 68 rounds. Place the rounds, spaced 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate dough 5 to 10 minutes. Using a 3/4-inch round aspic cutter, or the large end of a pastry tip, cut out and discard the centers from 34 cookies, making top halves.
• Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking time. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature until ready to use
• To make the filling: Place the sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Set over medium-high heat, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until dark amber in color, about 5 minutes. Use a pastry brush, dipped in water, to wash down sides of pan to prevent crystallization as the mixture boils. Remove saucepan from the heat, and gradually whisk in the cream and butter. Transfer to a medium bowl, and let cool.
• To assemble the cookies: Spoon or pipe about 1/2 teaspoon caramel in the center of each of the bottom halves, and sandwich both halves together. Drizzle remaining caramel over the tops of the cookies. Let the caramel set at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cream butter, oil, white sugar, and confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir gradually into the butter mixture. Stir in pecans.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place onto ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on wire racks, 20 to 30 minutes.

BROWN-SUGAR AND PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Add pecans. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• Turn dough out onto work surface and form into two flat squares; wrap with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks set in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Place a nonstick baking mat on work surface. Place one square chilled dough on baking mat; top with a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll out dough between baking mat and plastic wrap until it is 3/8-inch-thick. Transfer to freezer to chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Using a 2 1/4-inch square cutter, cut out dough and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Carefully prick each cookie with a skewer, gently pushing through the dough until it reaches the baking sheet.
• Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake, about 10 minutes. Halfway through baking, repeat pricking process and rotate baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Cookies should be very pale and not take on too much color. Transfer cookies to rack to cool.

COCONUT-PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in coconut and pecans. Divide dough into two portions. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a floured surface, roll each portion to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 1-in. round cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Meanwhile, for filling, bring sugar and water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. Add corn syrup; cook until syrup turns golden, about 5 minutes (do not stir). Gradually stir in cream and butter., Spread filling on the bottoms of half of the cookies, a scant 1/2 teaspoon on each; cover with remaining cookies. Let stand until set, about 2 hours.

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until mixture is light in color, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add flour, salt, pecans, and almond extract, and mix until combined and the pecans start to break up.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator at least 1 hour or overnight. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/2-inch diameter fluted cookie cutters, cut cookies, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Return to refrigerator 1 hour more.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle cookies with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. I suggest using a Kitchenaid (or other brand) stand mixer with a paddle attachment as this is a VERY stiff dough -- I don't suggest mixing it by hand ...either your hand will wear out or the wooden spoon will break.
• 2. Cream together sugar and butter--just until combined.
• 3. Add extracts and stir into butter/sugar mixture.
• 4. In separate bowl, whisk flour and salt together.
• 5. Add flour/salt mix to butter/sugar mix, a little at a time.
• 6. Add chopped pecans to dough and THOROUGHLY incorporate them. (I chopped them by hand).
• 7. Place reserved 1/2 cup of pecans in separate bowl.
• 8. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. By hand, roll each piece into a log (about 2-3 inches in diameter). Wrap each log, snugly, with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• 9. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
• 10. Remove plastic wrap from dough log and slice into 3/8-inch - 1/2-inch thick slices.
• 11. Place sliced dough onto UNGREASED parchment-paper lined cookie sheet about 1/2 inch apart.
• 12. Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are golden brown and center is cooked but NOT browned (see photo above).
• 13. After baking, gently transfer to cooling rack (they're VERY fragile at this stage), and cool completely. Once cooled, they are quite sturdy.
• 14. In microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate morsels (in 30-second increments, stirring after each increment)
• 15. Spread reserved, chopped pecans (or, if desired, sliced almonds) onto cookie sheet and return to oven for 5-10 min. until toasted. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Then, place them in a bowl.
• 16. Coat cooled cookies 1/2-way with melted chocolate (front, back, and sides)--scraping off excess.
• 17. Roll chocolate-dipped cookies in toasted pecan pieces. Alternately, you can use sliced almonds, or crushed toffee pieces (Heath or Skor bars)...or, leave them plain or just dipped in chocolate if you like. When coated, return cookies to cooling rack to set.
• 18. Chill chocolate-dipped cookies for 20-30 min. in fridge to set chocolate before serving.
• 19. Store in airtight container (if you have any left).

SHORTBREAD PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add flour and mix until combined.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and set on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on bottom, 10 to 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool, 8 to 10 minutes more. Place one pecan half on top of each cookie and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Toast pecans in oven, then cool. Leave oven on.
• Pick out about 36 of the best-looking pecan halves for topping cookies and finely chop remainder.
• Blend together butter, sugars, vanilla, and salt in a bowl with a fork until combined well. Stir in flour and chopped pecans until a soft dough forms (dough will be sticky).
• Form 1-inch balls of dough and arrange 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Flatten balls to 1/3 inch thick using bottom of a glass (flour it if necessary), then push a pecan half onto center of each cookie.
• Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES (MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES)

Steps:

• Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract, orange juice, water, and orange zest; beat until blended. Add flour and pecans and mix with a spoon until blended but crumbly. Cover and place in the refrigerator until chilled, 3 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Scoop up about a golf-ball-size of dough and press together into a ball. Flatten and smooth the edges, making sure the dough is firm and not flaky or crumbly, or else cookies will not rise or expand as they bake. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Sift some confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. Drop a cookie into the sugar, shake the bowl, flip the cookie, and agitate again to cover in sugar. Repeat with remaining cookies, adding more sugar as necessary.

PECAN SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spray or lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. On low speed, beat in flour just until mixed. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Divide dough into 4 equal parts; shape each into ball. Place 2 balls of dough on each cookie sheet, on opposite ends. With rolling pin or floured fingers, gently flatten and shape each ball into 6-inch circle. With large knife, divide and cut each round into 8 wedges, slightly separating each cut with knife. Poke tops of wedges with fork, and place 1 pecan half in middle of each outer edge to make tree trunk.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until firm but not brown. While still warm, cut into wedges again. Cool completely on cookie sheets, about 30 minutes.
• Place cooled tree wedges on cooling racks or waxed paper. Place baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 40 to 60 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag gently until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle side to side over wedges to make tree garland. Sprinkle with sugar Top each tree with star.

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Combine flour and cornstarch. Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add nuts; mix just until blended.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of glass.
• Bake 13 min. or until centers are set and tops are lightly browned; cool on baking sheets 5 min. Add warm cookies, 1 at a time, to remaining sugar; turn to evenly coat both sides of each. Cool completely on wire racks.

LEMON-PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. In a bowl, combine flour, nuts, sugar and lemon peel. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling (dough will still be crumbly). Knead until smooth and form into a ball.
• 2. On lightly floured surface, roll dough until 1/2 inch thick. Using a 1-1/2-inch to 3-inch scalloped cookie cutter, cut into rounds. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• 3. Bake in a 325 degrees F oven for 18 to 20 minutes for small cookies or 20 to 22 minutes for larger cookies or until bottom starts to brown and center is set. Remove and cool on a wire rack. 20, 1-1/2-inch cookies or 5, 3-inch cookies.

BROWN SUGAR PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift dry ingredients. Beat butter in mixer until smooth about 3 min. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until incorporated. Add pecans and mix just until combined. Place dough on sheet of plastic, cover with another square of plastic and shape into a square. Chill 30 min. Roll between plastic to ¼" thick and 9 x 11 rectangle. Refrigerate at least 1½ hours or up to 2 days. Position 2 oven racks so they divide oven into thirds. Preheat to 350. Discard plastic sheets and trim rectangle and cut into 1½" squares. Place squares on baking sheets; with a fork pierce each cookie twice all the way through. Bake 18-20 min. Rotating at 9 min from back to front and top to bottom. Dust with Confectioners sugar if desired while still hot.

BROWN SUGAR-PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and clove.
• Using a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add the pecans and mix just until combined.
• Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Cover with another sheet of plastic and shape into a square. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll the dough between the plastic to 1/4-inch thick, and into a 9 1/2 x 11-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours, or up to 2 days.
• Position two oven racks so they divide the oven into thirds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Discard the plastic sheets from the dough. Trim the edges to form a 9 x 10.5/2-inch rectangle, then cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Place the squares on the baking sheets, then, with a fork, pierce each cookie twice all the way through. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 9 minutes. If desired, dust the cookies with confectioners' sugar while still hot. Transfer to a rack to cool.

TOASTED PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Place pecans in heavy skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan to cool.
• Cream butter and sugar by hand or in a mixer. Mix salt with rice flour and fold in by hand or on low speed. Fold in the all-purpose flour, pecans and vanilla.
• Divide dough in half. Place each portion on large piece of plastic wrap.Fold long side of wrap over dough and gently roll back and forth to form a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Repeat with second half. Wrap well in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove plastic wrap from dough. With sharp knife, cut dough logs in slices about 1/4 inch thick and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until firm and just beginning to color, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on racks.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In food processor, work the nuts in on-off motions until they are finely ground. Add the flour and sugar and work the mixture again until it is thoroughly combined. Add the butter and vanilla and work the mixture in on-off motions until it forms a smooth dough. Line a straight sided 9x13 inch pan with plastic wrap. Press the dough evenly into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours. Preheat oven to 350. Remove the dough from the pan and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut dough into desired shapes (I do 1"x2" rectangles). Arrange them close together on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes or until they are a very pale brown. Leave the cookies to settle for a minute, then lift them from the sheet with a spatula and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Once the cookies are cool, combine 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and 2 1/2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening in the top of a double boiler. Melt slowly, stirring often. Once melted, tilt the chocolate and dip the ends of the cookies into the chocolate so they are half coated. Set them on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Store in airtight container .

SALTED BUTTER-PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES (BUTTONS SMITH)

Steps:

• Beat butter in stand mixer w/ paddle attachment until creamy, about 1 minute. Slowly add powdered sugar until mixture is smooth.
• Stir in chopped pecans and vanilla
• Whisk together flour and baking powder in medium bowl, gradually add to butter mixture on low speed until blended. Mixture will be crumbley
• transfer dough to work surface covered w/ plastic wrap, form into 2 7-inch logs, about 2" in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 4 hrs and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets w/ parchment. Place turbinado sugar in large dish, beat egg and then brush logs with beaten egg mixture. Roll logs in sugar, cut into 1/3 inch slices, place 1 in. apart on parchment. Place a pecan half on each slice and press gently to adhere. Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden, and let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove to wire cooling rack for another 10 minutes

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Finely grind toasted pecans and sugar in processor. Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until coarse meal forms. Add cream and vanilla. Process using on/off turns until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Place sheet of waxed paper on work surface. Sprinkle waxed paper lightly with flour. Place dough disk in center of waxed paper and top with second sheet. Roll out dough to 1/4- to 3/8-inch thickness. Using 2-inch fluted cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to large baking sheet. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut out additional cookies. Press 1 pecan half into center of each cookie. Refrigerate cookies 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake cookies until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)