Pecan Sandies Cookies are nutty with a hint of sweetness, made with a buttery shortbread cookie base with chopped pecans throughout, and topped with a pecan to finish!
This pecan cookies recipe is simple but the cookies are adorable, perfect for something a bit different on your holiday cookie tray, or to snack on after school with a cold glass of milk!
With a nutty flavor, Pecan cookie recipe are a favorite of my Dad. He has always loved the crisp shortbread cookie loaded with chopped pecans.
They're the perfect sweet treats for any season, with warm, earthy, subtle sweet flavors to make a break from the sugar overload.
I've made these as part of a cookie exchange before and they've gone down a treat!
As a copycat version of the Keebler Pecan Sandies Cookies, you can enjoy that nutty, buttery flavor any time you want.
Whenever I make them as part of a Christmas cookies platter, they're usually one of the first ones to get finished too! I think because they are less sweet but still appeal to so many.
These cookies are like a classic shortbread, with a good crunch but also a melt-in-your-mouth delicious treat.
For more easy recipes for nutty cookies, check out my Almond Joy Cookies, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies, and these No Bake Buckeye Bars!
Shopping List for Pecan Sandies Cookies
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Vanilla Extract, Egg
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar, Salt
Nuts. Pecans (Chopped and Halves)
How to Make Pecan Sandies Cookies
Make Cookie Dough
In a mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, cream the Butter, Granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar. Creaming the Butter and Sugars together should take 3-4 minutes.
Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down multiple times, because every bit of butter and sugar here counts.
Add Egg Yolk and Vanilla Extract and cream together for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Gradually add All Purpose Flour and a pinch of Salt. The mixture will be thick.
Hand stir chopped pecans into cookie dough.
Bake and Assemble Pecan Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone mat
Using a small cookie scoop #60, scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they're at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading when shaping them.
Using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, press the balls of dough flat. TIP: Dip the measuring cup in sugar to prevent it from sticking to the cookie dough.
Add half a pecan to the center of each cookie on top.
Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes. The edges will be set but will NOT be golden brown.
Allow the freshly baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage & Freezing
Store: Store these Sandies cookies in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate the cookies with a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap between every single layer to prevent them from sticking together. The cookies will last up to 5 days. But I prefer to enjoy these cookies within 2-3 days.
Freeze: Cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Place parchment paper between each cookie to prevent sticking when frozen.
Substitutions & Variations
- Pecans. You can use regular pecans, roasted pecans, candied pecans, or another of your favorite types for this recipe. Each will give the cookies a bit of a different flavor, so use your favorite.
- Change up the nuts. You can add any nuts to these cookies as you like. Try peanuts, walnuts, or almonds for a different flavor. You can combine different types of nuts, or even just add more nuts onto the tops of the cookies if you wish.
- Butter. I've used salted butter here, but if you need to use unsalted butter, add a dash more salt to the cookie dough mixture.
- Chips. You can exchange some of the pecans here for white chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips for Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies if you like! You could even use butterscotch chips. I haven't tried this before, but it would add bursts of sweetness throughout the cookie.
- Topping. Add a drizzle of icing or meleted white chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate to these cookies for added sweetness.
Pro Tips
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time here are some pro tips.
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for ensuring even baking. This recipe makes about 18 cookies using size #50 cookie scoop. For larger cookies, use two scoops, or a larger scoop and adjust the time accordingly. You will get about a dozen cookies with a size #64 scoop.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
Baking Time.
Oven temperatures can vary, so I recommend makking only 1-3 cookies in the first batch. This will allow you to test the baking time for a perfectly baked cookie before baking the remaining cookies.
Cookies.
Cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are set and the centers are no longer glossy.
Cooling Rack.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring, and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking.
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least two cooling racks.
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients.
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take two batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc Bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula, are all helpful.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Have you tried this Butter Pecan Cookie recipe?
Let me know what you thought of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
More Easy Holiday Cookie Recipes
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies
- Cranberry Bars
- Chocolate Snowball Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies
- Easy Sugar Cookie Cut Outs
- Christmas Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Eggnog Sugar Cookie Pies
- Pistachio Pudding Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
Pecan Sandies Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter Softened
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar 50g
- ½ cup Brown Sugar 106g
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour plus 2 tablespoons, 120g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg Yolk Large
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans
- 24 Pecan Halves
Instructions
Make Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl or using a stand mixer, cream Butter, Granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar. Creaming the Butter and Sugars together should take 3-4 minutes.
- Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down multiple times.
- Add Egg Yolk and Vanilla Extract and cream together for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add Flour and a pinch of Salt. The mixture will be thick.
- Hand stir chopped pecans into cookie dough.
Bake and Assemble Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone mat
- Using a small cookie scoop #60, scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they're at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading when shaping them.
- Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the cookie dough balls flat. TIP: Dip measuring cup in sugar to prevent it from sticking to the cookie dough.
- Add half a pecan to the center of each cookie on top.
- Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes. The edges will be set but will NOT be golden in color.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.
- Makes about 18 cookies using size #50 cookie scoop.
Notes
- Store: Store cookies in an airtight container. Refrigerate the cookies with a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. The cookies will last up to 5 days. But I prefer to enjoy these cookies within 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Place parchment paper between each cookie to prevent sticking when frozen.
Grace
Classic cookie recipe and so easy to follow directions. Loved how spot on the flavor was.