Easy Pecan Butter Cookies Recipe
Slice and Bake Cookies Are So Easy to Make with Refrigerator Dough
Dec 22, 2008
One of the reasons folks love Scandinavian butter cookies so much is because they are so simple to make and deliver such simply satisfying results. Subtle in flavor, crispy yet crumbly in texture, they offer so many of the delights cookie lovers enjoy. They’re terrific holiday cookies, yet also good and easy to make at any time of year.
The butter cookie recipe that follows is a classic slice and bake cookies recipe. That means that the dough, once mixed, is gathered into a cylindrical log and then chilled in the refrigerator until it is firm enough to cut into neat slices, which are then placed on a baking sheet and quickly baked until golden brown.
The dough can be made easily ahead of time and kept wrapped in the refrigerator, ready to slice and bake up fresh to order when guests come over. Or the cookies can be baked up to several days in advance and stored in layers between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container.
Pecan Butter Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- In a mixing bowl using a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed, or in a food processor fitted with the stainless steel blade, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the flour, pecans, and salt.
- While beating or processing the creamed mixture, gradually blend in the dry ingredient to form a soft, firm, smooth dough.
- Gather the dough together on a lightly floured work surface and form it into a cylindrical log 12 inches long. Wrap the log in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Unwrap the log of dough and, with a small, sharp knife, cut the dough into slices 1/4 inch thick, placing them about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until light golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
- With a spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, stored in an airtight container.
Recipe Variations
Varying the recipe is easy:
- Substitute chopped walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, or peanuts for the pecans.
- Use almond extract, coffee extract, lemon extract, or orange extract in place of the vanilla extract.
- Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients.
Whatever the version, the cookies go great with a rich cup of Hot Chocolate, Holiday Eggnog, or Mulled Cider.
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