Classic Pecan Sandies made with buttery, crumbly shortbread cookie dough, a hint of warm spices, and nutty pecans. These cookies are perfect for your Christmas cookie platters and make excellent edible gifts!
Pecan Sandies were always one of my favorite cookies growing up and I still can't get enough of them today. There's just something about a crumbly shortbread cookie packed with chopped pecans that is so satisfying.
The best thing about these cookies is they are incredibly easy to make so you can whip up a batch anytime! For more tasty cookie recipes, check out our Cookies and Cream Cookies and Cinnamon Roll Cookies next!
Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
- All-purpose flour. To create a tender, crumbly cookie. Use good-quality flour.
- Salt. To enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg. For warmth and depth.
- Unsalted butter. For tender cookies.
- Granulated sugar. To sweeten the cookie dough.
- Brown sugar. For caramel-light sweetness and tenderness.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor and depth. Use good quality vanilla extract - not vanilla flavoring!
- Pecans. For nuttiness and crunch. Use chopped pecans for the dough and pecan halves to press into the tops.
How To Make This Recipe
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy. Start on low speed (3-4) and gradually increase the speed to high (8-9).
- Add the vanilla and mix on medium until combined. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until just a few spots of dry flour remain. Start on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high. Do not overmix the dough.
- Add the pecans to the bowl and mix on low until they are evenly distributed into the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls with both palms.
- Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Wet the flat bottom of a glass and press down on the cookie balls slightly to flatten them into ½-inch thick cookies. Gently press a pecan half into the top of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies on a middle rack in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until the edges just start to turn light golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations and Substitutions
- Try other nuts in the dough such as walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts.
- Add fun mix-ins like chocolate chips, white chocolate, m&m's, peanut butter chips, dried cranberries, or sprinkles. Crushed peppermint candies are also a fun twist for the holidays!
- Instead of shaping the cookies into balls, roll the dough into a log and slice the cookies with a knife. You can also roll the dough out with a rolling pin and cut out fun shapes with cookie cutters.
- Finish the cookies with a little extra sweetness by dusting them in powdered sugar, or dipping half of each cookie into melted dark or white chocolate.
What Are Pecan Sandies?
Pecan sandies are tasty butter shortbread cookies with pecans mixed into the dough. Most often, the pecans are finely chopped and mixed into the dough with some recipes (like this one) including a pecan half pressed into the top.
Pecan sandies also go by other names, including Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, and Snowball Cookies, although these versions are typically coated in powdered sugar after baking.
Whatever you call them, pecan sandies are a scrumptious classic cookie loved by people from all over for generations.
Why Are They Called Pecan Sandies?
Pecan sandies got their name because the texture of the crumbly cookie dough is reminiscent of sand.
Of course, what you are actually feeling is the sugar in the cookie dough, but like Keebler, I prefer the name "sandies"!
Can This Cookie Dough Be Frozen?
Absolutely! Shape the cookies and place them in zip-top freezer bags and freeze them in a flat position. Frozen cookie dough will last up to six months.
Thaw the cookies at room temperature or bake them directly from frozen. Just be sure to add about 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time if baking from frozen.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
This cookie dough can be made up three days in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
You can also go ahead and shape the cookies then refrigerate them until ready to bake.
Recommended Tools For This Recipe
More Holiday Desserts You Will Love!
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Best Southern Pecan Pralines
- Southern Buttermilk Pie
- Best Ever Bread Pudding
- Southern Sweet Potato Pie
- Candy Cane Cookies
📖 Recipe
Pecan Sandies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g) weighed or spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened, two sticks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans plus halves for topping
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy. Start on low speed (3-4) and gradually increase the speed to high (8-9).
- Add the vanilla and mix on medium until combined. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until just a few spots of dry flour remain. Start on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high. Do not overmix the dough.
- Add the pecans to the bowl and mix on low until they are evenly distributed into the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls with both palms.
- Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Wet the flat bottom of a glass and press down on the cookie balls slightly to flatten them into ½-inch thick cookies. Gently press a pecan half into the top of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies on a middle rack in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until the edges just start to turn light golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough. Mix the pecans in on low just until they are distributed and no more dry flour is visible in the dough.
- This cookie dough can be made up three days in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Leftover pecan sandies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
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