Pecan Sugar Cookies Recipes

PECAN BALLS (CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Mix ingredients together until well blended.
• Hand form into small balls.
• Bake at 300° up to 15 minutes. (These will not brown).
• While balls are still warm, roll into powdered sugar.

BUTTER PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Place chopped pecans and 1 tablespoon butter in a baking pan. Bake at 325° for 5-7 minutes or until toasted and browned, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool. , In a large bowl, cream brown sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. , Roll into 1-in. balls, then roll in toasted pecans, pressing nuts into dough. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Beat egg white until foamy. Dip pecan halves in egg white, then gently press one into each ball. , Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

BROWN-SUGAR AND PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Add pecans. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• Turn dough out onto work surface and form into two flat squares; wrap with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks set in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Place a nonstick baking mat on work surface. Place one square chilled dough on baking mat; top with a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll out dough between baking mat and plastic wrap until it is 3/8-inch-thick. Transfer to freezer to chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Using a 2 1/4-inch square cutter, cut out dough and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Carefully prick each cookie with a skewer, gently pushing through the dough until it reaches the baking sheet.
• Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake, about 10 minutes. Halfway through baking, repeat pricking process and rotate baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Cookies should be very pale and not take on too much color. Transfer cookies to rack to cool.

PECAN CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place pecans and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor; process until pecans are finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl., Stir flour and remaining sugar into pecan mixture; cut in butter until crumbly. Transfer mixture to a clean work surface; knead gently to form a smooth dough, about 2 minutes. (Mixture will be very crumbly at first, but will come together and form a dough as it's kneaded.) Divide dough in half., On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, mix vanilla sugar ingredients until blended., Dip warm cookies in vanilla sugar to coat; cool completely on wire racks. Store in airtight containers.