ByCarolUpdated
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Pecan Sandies cookies dipped in powdered sugar just melt in your mouth. The ingredients are simple. Butter, flour,sugarand pecans.
Adding the chopped pecans is just enough crunch to make these shortbread cookiesirresistible.
Pecan Sandies have been my favorite Christmas cookie for as long as I can remember. I look forward to making them each year. I could make them at other times but I don’t think it would be the same. You know what I mean? It is my cookie tradition for Christmas.
I have always called them Pecan Sandies but then I found that they are also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes and Snowballs. I tried to research why there are so many names for this delectable little cookie but apparently no one seems to know for sure. It is irrelevant any way. Love, love these little shortbread cookies.
Pro Tips
- Use softened butter
- I always, and I mean always recommend setting your butter out till it is room temperature. Softened butter incorporates much better with sugar. The end result is so worth the extra time you took. Just remove the butter from the fridge an hour or so before you want to bake. Then go find something else to do. But don’t forget you took the butter out.
- Real vanilla
- I wholeheartedly believe in using real ingredients. Yes, they cost more but the taste will make all the difference. Vanilla lasts a long time. So splurge. It is worth it.
- Toasting pecans
- This is an extra step but to bring out the real flavor in pecans, they should be toasted. Go ahead and toast them in a pan for a few minutes. Then chop them up. I use my mini chopper to chop my pecans. My mini chopper is my best bud in the kitchen.
- Do not grease cookie sheets
- One year I made the mistake of using a non stick baking sheet on top of my cookie sheet. Oh, my. Did those cookies ever spread! Lesson learned. Do not grease or use any type of silicone baking sheet to place the cookies on. They will not be little balls anymore but flat little shortbread cookies.
- Roll cookies by hand
- I use a cookie scoop to help me make sure all my cookies are uniform in size. I scoop out the dough into my hand and roll it into a smooth ball. They bake better this way.
- Chill the cookie dough
- Chilled cookie dough makes a better cookie. They don’t spread and the flavors have a chance to meld together. Let the cookie dough chill for about 30 minutes before you roll into a ball. The warmth of your hands will help to mold those little dough balls.
- Bake till just the bottoms are golden
- You don’t want the cookies on top to be brown, just the bottoms. Do not over bake.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar
- Don’t cool your Pecan Sandies cookies completely before you roll them into powdered sugar. Warm cookies make the powdered sugar melt which results in oh so much scrumptiousness! Take my word on this one. You could roll them a second time after they have cooled for a prettier presentation.
How To Make Pecan Sandies Cookies
Making these cookies is a simple process. I love any recipe that is easy.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar till fluffy. You could do this by hand but a stand mixer or hand held mixer makes this part incredibly fast.
- Mix in the water and the vanilla extract.
- Add the all purpose flour and chopped pecans. Mix till just combined.
- Chill the dough for thirty minutes. This is important so that the cookies do not spread.
- Shape the dough into balls of about the same size. This ensures they all bake evenly.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350 ℉ for twenty minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Let cookies cool slightly then roll in powdered sugar.
- Roll in powdered sugar a second time when cooled for the maximum in taste.
Enjoy these awesome traditional Christmas Pecan Sandies cookies. Think I’ll go have one now with a cup of coffee!
Pecan Sandies Cookies
Carol
A delightful shortbread cookie stuffed with chopped pecans. Coated with a layer of powdered sugar.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
chill 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans (chopped)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar till fluffy. Add the water and the vanilla extract. Stir till combined.
Add all purpose flour and chopped pecans. Mix till combined.
Chill dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in 350° F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottoms.
Roll in powdered sugar when warm to the touch. Roll in powdered sugar a second time when cooled.
Notes
Edited to add 2 teaspoons of water to original recipe.
Keyword cookies, holiday baking, holidays, pecan sandies
Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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One of my favorite cookies! I just love the powdered sugar on them!
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These sound delicious and the powdered sugar makes them so festive! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
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Yum yum, I can almost taste the melt in your mouth goodness from here!
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This is exactly my grandma’s recipe, but I grew up calling them butterballs or snowball cookies!
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It’s been a while since I’ve made these… I’ll have to give your recipe a try!
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These are definitely my favorite Christmas cookies. I made some this year, and they are so easy to just pop into your mouth. It’s hard to eat just one!
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Thanks for this recipe. After a move across country, I couldn’t find my old original recipe for this delectable Christmas cookie. Yours was a Godsend as no other searches came up with the real deal. I can now start my Christmas cookie baking with confidence.Reply
Moving can be hard especially when trying to find your stuff.
I make these cookies every Christmas with fond memories. Thanks for the lovely comment! Happy Baking!Reply
I grew up with these cookies but the Yugoslavian families that lived on the point called them pigtails they rolled them looking like a little finger so my mom called them finger cookies and this is the exact recipe my question is I made mine today 15 December if I keep them in my refrigerator will they be all right for ChristmasReply
Hi Hazel,
Those are lovely memories.
I have never stored cookies for that length of time so I don’t have any personal experience to offer. These cookies are eaten so quickly at my house. 🙂Reply
This is my new favorite Christmas cookie. Rich but not too sweet. Perfect.
Quick question. Do you use salted or unsalted butter?Reply
Hi Elle,
I use salted butter and haven’t noticed the cookie to be too salty. So glad you love this cookie. It’s my favorite, too!Reply
This is the recipe you must remember to save and bake at least at Christmas time. Being able to make these jewels over the holidays and share with others is pretty. And they always turn out perfect and delictable. Thank you.Reply
I totally agree! Glad you love this recipe, too!
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I like this recipe and followed it to the tee but my mix is really powdery and doesn’t hold shape. Am I to mix milk or a little more butter to give it consistency?
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It is a dry mixture. If it is too powdery, add 2 teaspoons of water. It is very important to chill for 30 minutes so you can shape it. Hope this helps. I have added the addition of water to the recipe. Thank you for your feedback.
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These are delicious! I was looking for something close to what my mom has made and this is it!Reply
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