Pecan Thins Recipes

GOLDEN RAISIN AND PECAN THINS

Steps:

• Place a baking sheet on center rack of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Butter three 5 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch or four 4 1/4- by 2 1/2-inch mini loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter the paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk both flours, sugar, tarragon or fennel seeds, baking soda and salt Add buttermilk and stir until smooth. Fold in pecans and raisins until evenly distributed. Divide among prepared pans, filling 1/4-inch from the top (batter will rise slightly in the oven), and smooth tops.
• Place pans on baking sheet and bake until loaves are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Slide a thin-bladed knife around the pan edges. Carefully invert the loaves onto a wire rack, and discard the parchment. Cool completely, right side up on the rack.
• Freeze loaves on a pan until very firm, at least 1 hour or up to 5 days.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Working with one frozen loaf at a time, cut 1/8-inch-thick slices with a sharp serrated bread knife. Arrange slices on prepared pan, spacing them 1/4-inch apart. Bake one pan at a time until crackers are browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer crackers to wire racks and let cool completely.

MAPLE-PECAN BUTTER THINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans on an ungreased baking sheet and toast them until they turn slightly darker and fragrant, about 7 minutes; set aside. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners, or generously grease with butter or cooking spray. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and maple syrup. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the toasted pecans. The dough will be soft and somewhat sticky. Divide the dough into 2 clumps. Set each on a long sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper, shape the dough into 2 even logs, and wrap tightly. (I like the look of a square cookie, so I lightly press the logs on 4 sides to flatten.) Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. If you're really in a hurry, freeze the dough for about 20 minutes, just until they retain their shape when sliced.
• When ready to bake, unwrap a log of dough and cut it into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet and bake until they turn golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
• The cookie dough can be made and rolled into logs up to 1 month in advance and frozen, or up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated. To prepare frozen dough for baking, remove it from the freezer and set it at room temperature 1 hour before baking; or simply transfer the dough from freezer to fridge the night before baking. Refrigerated dough can be sliced and baked straight from the refrigerator. The baked cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• To make rectangular cookies as pictured opposite, form the dough into 1 rectangular-shaped loaf, wrap and refrigerate as directed above, cut into slices lengthwise, and bake.

PECAN SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Cover a 9-inch square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Push foil neatly into corners and up sides of the pan, using two pieces if necessary to ensure it overlaps all edges (the overhang will help removal from pan). Spray foiled pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the flour, cornstarch, confectioners sugar and salt in a bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps of butter within. It will seem dry; that's okay. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the bottom. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. While the crust is in the refrigerator, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the crust until crust is set but not browned, about 17 minutes. Set on rack to cool. Leave oven on.
• In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and boil gently for 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and chopped pecans.
• Pour pecan mixture over crust (it's fine if the crust is still warm). Bake until filling is bubbling and caramel in color, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on rack. To cut, use the foil overhang to lift baked square out of pan and onto cutting board. Loosen the foil from the edges, then cut with a sharp knife into 2-inch squares. Store finished pecan squares in air-tight container and serve at room temperature.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: These can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap them securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap with the layers separated by wax or parchment paper. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

PECAN THINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• In a bowl beat together butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy and beat in whites and vanilla until just combined. Sift flour over batter and fold in. Fold in pecans.
• Drop batter by rounded teaspoons about 3 inches apart onto well-buttered baking sheets and with the back of a fork pat into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until golden around edges, about 5 minutes. Working quickly, with a metal spatula carefully loosen cookies immediately and transfer to racks to cool completely. (If cookies become too firm to remove from baking sheets, return to over for a few seconds to soften.) Cookies may be made 1 day ahead and kept, layers separated by wax paper, in an airtight container.

BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN THINS

Steps:

• In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and beat in the egg and the vanilla. Into the bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt, beat the dough until it is firm enough to handle. Halve the dough and on a piece of wax paper form each half into a 6-inch log, using the wax paper as a guide. Chill the logs, wrapped in the wax paper, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife, arrange the slices 3 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets, and press a pecan half onto each cookie. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are golden, and let them cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to racks and let them cool completely.

EASY PECAN CHOCOLATE THINS (COOKIES)

Steps:

• Set oven to 400 degrees (set oven rack to middle position).
• In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and salt until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes).
• Beat in egg and vanilla until just combined.
• Sift the flour over the batter, then fold into the batter.
• Fold in minced pecans and chocolate chips (if using).
• Drop by level 1/2 teaspoons batter leaving about 2-inches apart.
• Bake for about 5-6 minutes or until pale golden around edges.
• Carefully loosen hot cookies with a metal spatula and transfer to racks to cool (if cookies become to firm to remove without breaking, just return to oven for a cople of seconds to soften).

PECAN THINS

Steps:

• Cream butter.
• Gradually add sugar, beating well.
• Add egg and vanilla and blend well.
• Combine dry ingredients except pecans and gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in pecans.
• Divide dough in half and shape each half into a 1 1/2" diameter log.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 3 hours or until firm.
• Cut dough into 1/4" thick slices.
• Place 2" apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned at 350°.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Can be stored in airtight container for several weeks.