Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies
by Stella Zedman
Average User Rating:
Shortbread cookies are a must to make for the holidays, and these pecan-filled, buttery biscuits are simply irresistible. Be sure to use real butter, never margarine, for best flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) light brown sugar
- 2 cups (500 mL) flour
- 1 cup (250 mL) ground pecans
- 2 tsp. (10 mL) vanilla
- pinch of salt
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or a food processor, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add flour, ground pecans, vanilla and salt and beat just until it forms a smooth dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow it to firm up just enough to shape.
- By hand, roll dough into 1-inch (2-cm) balls. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet and flatten very slightly (to about 1/2-inch/1-cm thickness) with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the glass. (If you have a cookie stamp, you can use it to flatten the cookies instead of the glass.)
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set and very lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from pan and let cool on a rack.
Servings: About 2-1/2 to 3 dozen almost authentic shortbread cookies.
How kids can help
Roll the dough into balls and flatten them on the cookie sheet.
Decorate, if desired, with icing or sprinkles.
