Description
Ina Garten’s pecan sandies melt with buttery richness and nutty charm, offering a classic Southern cookie experience. Crumbly, delicate pecans create a sublime texture that whispers comfort with each delightful bite you savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ pound butter, room temperature (that’s 2 sticks)
- 1 cup pecan halves
Sugar and Sweeteners:
- ½ cup demerara or turbinado sugar
- 24 whole pecan halves for decoration
Seasonings and Flavor Enhancers:
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C), ensuring an even cooking temperature for optimal results.
- Distribute pecan halves across a baking sheet in a single layer, then roast for 6-8 minutes until aromatic and lightly bronzed. Remove and allow to cool completely.
- Utilize a food processor to transform toasted pecans and 1/4 cup flour into a fine, uniform powder. Transfer this pecan flour to a mixing bowl and incorporate remaining all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder, whisking until thoroughly combined.
- Employ an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar together, continuing for approximately 2-3 minutes until the mixture achieves a light, airy consistency with increased volume.
- Introduce vanilla extract into the butter mixture, blending smoothly. Gradually fold in the prepared flour mixture, mixing gently until a cohesive dough forms without overworking the ingredients.
- Craft uniform dough balls measuring roughly 1 inch in diameter, positioning them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Delicately press a whole pecan half into the center of each cookie, creating an elegant visual presentation.
- Bake the cookies for 22-26 minutes, watching for golden-brown edges as an indicator of doneness. After removing from the oven, allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to reach room temperature.
Notes
- Toasting pecans intensifies their natural sweetness and creates a deeper, more complex flavor profile for these classic cookies.
- Grinding nuts into a fine flour transforms the texture, delivering a delicate, crumbly sensation that literally melts on your tongue.
- Gentle mixing prevents overworking the dough, ensuring tender cookies that crumble perfectly with each bite.
- Freezing these delectable treats maintains their quality for up to a month, making them an ideal make-ahead dessert for spontaneous gatherings.
- Cooling cookies directly on the baking sheet allows them to set properly and reduces the risk of unexpected crumbling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 31 mg
- Fat: 9.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.4 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg