My husband loves Keebler Pecan Sandies.

In fact, he goes bonkers for this pre-packaged buy-at-the-grocery-store cookie.

I used to be a dutiful wife and buy him a package or two every now and again.

And then I read the ingredients.

And then no more Keebler Pecan Sandies in the house.

So when I found this Homemade Pecan Sandies Recipe in Barefoot Contessa’s Foolproof Cookbook, I gave it a shot. I kept hoping this low-sugar-with-all-ingredients-I-can-pronouce would fulfill Hubs craving for Pecan Sandies.

It did. And they are by far and away his favorite homemade cookie. And for a non-pecan girl, the shortbread in this cookie is HARD to beat.

Two items of note:

Don’t cut corners and not toast the pecans. I’ve done this cookies both ways (toast and no-toast…yes, I cut corners too) and there is a DRAMATIC difference in the taste profile with toasted pecans.
It’s your choice on the sugar. You can substitute white cane sugar for the turbinado and the cookies will be great. However, if you use the turbinado sugar, the cookies will be FREAKIN’ amazing. Trust me.

Homemade Pecan Sandies Recipe

The perfect shortbread cookie. This Homemade Pecan Sandies Recipe is the perfect mix of nutty, crunchy, vanilla with the right amount of sweetness. Plus, you know every ingredient unlike that version made by elves.

Recipe Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup of pecan halves, 4 oz.
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (make sure to choose aluminum free)
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (also know as Sugar In The Raw)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
30 pecan halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place 1 cup of pecan halves on baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until toasted. Set aside.

Err on the side of under toasting.#askmehowiknow

3. Place cooled pecans and 1/4 cup of flour in a food processor with a steel blade and process until pecans are finely ground.

4. Place flour/nut mixture, plus remaining 1 3/4 cup flour, salt and baking powder in medium size bowl. Set aside.

5. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar. Add vanilla and mix until well combined. Turn on to low and add flour mixture until a dough is formed. Be careful to not over mix.

6. 7. Using a cookie scoop drop teaspoon of dough into your hand, roll into a ball and place on to Nordic Ware Baking Sheets lined with Silicone Baking Mats. Each cookie sheet should have approximately 12 cookies.

A cookie scoop, Nordic Ware Baking Sheets (or other commercial baking sheets) and silicone baking mats, is the secret to making perfectly uniform cookies every time. Same size, same browning, same taste. They are an investment, but worth every penny.

7. Press one of the remaining pecan halves into each cookie, pressing approximately halfway down.

8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Want more of my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes? Be sure to follow my Christmas Cookie Board on Pinterest.

Follow Kelly Snyder’s board Christmas Cookies on Pinterest. LOVE this recipe? Make sure to check out all of our tried and true recipes in the Redefined Mom Recipe Index.