Have you ever taken a bite of Pecan Sandie and had that exquisite moment when the cookie simultaneously crumbles and dissolves in your mouth? This beloved American classic — a buttery shortbread studded with toasted pecans — has been making cookie lovers happy for generations. Inspired by traditional Scottish shortbread, Pecan Sandies became a popular style of cookie in the U.S. in the mid-20th century, when Keebler released their store-bought version. But nothing beats the homemade variety, where a perfect ratio of butter, vanilla and toasted pecans makes for a simple little bite that can only be described as decadent.

If you’ve tried making cookies that are too dry, too sweet, or just don’t have that particular sandy texture, you’re not alone. This recipe gets all those classic pitfalls with specific techniques and precisely calculated proportions. By the time you finish reading this post, youll have everything you need to whip up the most delicious Pecan Sandies that will impress your family, friends, and even the snobbiest of cookie snobs.

Contents

Recipe Overview

These Pecan Sandies have just the right amount of rustic, quiet elegance. What we’re doing differently here is working with toasted pecans (which brings out more flavor) and also the mixing technique that gives you that “sandy” texture that everyone craves.

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients List

For the Cookies:

1 cup (226g) room-temperature unsalted butter

½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon boring old vanilla extract

½ teaspoon (2.5ml) almond extract (optional but suggested)

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon (3g) salt

1 cup (120g) pecans, toasted and finely chopped

For the Optional Topping:

3 tablespoons (38g) turbinado sugar (Sugar In The Raw)

½ teaspoon (2; 5ml) ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons (15g) finely chopped pecans

Ingredient Notes:

Butter Quality: The richer the butter, the better: go for block butter with at least 82% fat. Add melted European-style butter, which works especially well.

Substitutions: The combination of granulated and powdered sugar makes for the best texture. If you want a less sweet version, use just ⅓ cup granulated sugar.

Flour Alternative: To make gluten-free Pecan Sandies, replace with an equal amount of 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Measure for Measure are good options.

Pecans: Toasted pecans can be found at specialty stores, but they’re never better than when you toast them yourself. To get the best results, purchase raw pecans online.

Timing

First Published: 20 minutes (plus 10 minutes time for toasting pecans)

Chilling Duration: 30 minutes (minimum) to 24 hours (optimal)

Baking Time: 12-15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (minimum chilling time)

The whole process takes 45 minutes, but only 30 minutes of that is active cooking — the rest is inactive chilling and baking. That’s 25 percent less hands-on time than other shortbread recipes, making the cookies surprisingly attainable for weeknight baking.

Time-Saving Tip: You can prepare the dough up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator, or freeze it for up to 3 months. This is truly the best for planning for holidays and surprise guests.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Toast the Pecans

Place in a preheated oven at 350° F (175°C)

Spread the pecans onto a baking sheet in a single layer.

Toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until fragrant and slightly darkened.

Take from oven and cool completely, then chop.

Chef’s Tip: Your nose is best here — when you smell the nutty aroma, they’re done or nearly done. If you are toasting whole unsalted nuts, watch closely in the last minute, as nuts can go from perfectly toasted to burnt really quick.

Step 2: Prepare the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Add both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You should notice the color getting noticeably lighter.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then drizzle in the vanilla extract and the almond extract (if using). Beat briefly to combine.

In another bowl, combine the flour and salt.

Using the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until the flour is combined. At first, the dough will seem crumbly — this is normal!

Using a spatula, gently fold the cooled, chopped pecans into the batter until well incorporated.

Troubleshooting: If your dough is too dry and isn’t holding together, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk. If it feels too wet add 1-2 tbsp flour.

Step 3: Form and Chill the Dough

For slice-and-bake cookies: Shape the dough into a log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap well in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For cut-out cookies: Halve the dough, and shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Visual Cue: When chilled correctly, the dough should feel firmer, but not hard. You want to be able to press a fingertip into it and leave a slight indent.

Step 4: Prepare for Baking

Instructions: 1. Preheat your oven to 325° F (165° C).

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

(If using the optional topping, in a small bowl, combine the turbinado sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped pecans.)

Step 5: Shape and Bake

For slice-and-bake method: Remove the chilled log from wrap and slice rounds ¼ inch thick. Space on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

For cut-out method: Roll chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Using your desired cookie cutter, cut and transfer to prepared baking sheets.

If you’re using the topping, sprinkle it over the cookies, pressing down slightly to make it adhere.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to golden. The centers will still look a bit underbaked.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then arrange them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Key Insight: These cookies do not spread much when they bake, so you can space them fairly closely on the baking sheet.

The Chef’s Notes and Technical Tips provide detail on the process.

The secret to making perfect Pecan Sandies is all in the science of shortbread. High butter content gives you that hallmark “short” or crumbly texture by balling up the flour particles so that gluten doesn’t form. That is why it’s so important not to overwork the dough.

Temperature Control: The butter should be at cool room temperature — soft enough to cream but not so warm it looks greasy. If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl for 10 minutes before you cream the butter.

Mixing Method: Use the paddle attachment instead of the whisk attachment, since you want to incorporate less air and achieve that dense, sandy texture.

Flour Measurement: Weigh, don’t measure by volume (250g). If you do have to use cups, fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level off with a knife instead of scooping directly from the container.

Oven Note: Most ovens have hot spots, so be sure to rotate your baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Many ovens can be off by as much as 25°F, so it’s highly advised that you use an oven thermometer.

Nutritional Information

PER COOKIE (based on 24 cookies):

Calories: 145

Total Fat: 10g

Saturated Fat: 5g

Cholesterol: 20mg

Sodium: 50mg

Total Carbohydrates: 13g

Dietary Fiber: 1g

Sugars: 6g

Protein: 1g

Vitamin A: 4% DV

Calcium: 1% DV

Iron: 2% DV

These homemade Pecan Sandies are generally 30% less sweet than store brands and contain no preservatives or artificial flavorings. That nutritional make-up means they’re more of a moderate indulgence than a particularly decadent treat.

To note: Nutritional values are estimates and little varies depending on exact ingredients used.

Tips on How to Make Recipe Healthier

Pecan Sandies is a butter cookie by design, but a few swaps can help produce a healthier version without losing too much flavor:

For Less Sugar: Cut both sugars down 25% for a less sweet cookie that still has proper texture. This cuts about 20 calories per cookie.

Whole Wheat Version: Substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour for added fiber and nutrients. Keep in mind it will create a slightly nuttier flavor and darker appearance.

Butter Substitute: Swap out half of the butter for solid (not melted) coconut oil for a different fat profile. This substitution will work, but it will add a subtle coconut taste.

Gluten-Free Adaptation: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, adding ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend does not already include it. This keeps the cookies free from gluten and doesn’t change the texture too much.

For a Lower-Carb Version: Substitute ¼ cup of the flour for finely ground almond flour to slightly lower carbohydrates and boost the nutty flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Pecan Sandies are great in their uncomplicated elegance, but there are all sorts of ways to dress them up for various occasions:

You can serve them at an afternoon tea on a tiered serving plate with fresh berries and small scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. The cookie is soft and sweet, and the ice cream is cold and rich, the contrast of the two making for the most pleasant sensation.

Over the holidays, you can always package them in decorative tins lined with parchment paper between layers — they’re sturdy enough to ship to loved ones and still fresh for up to a week.

For a more enhanced dessert, pulverize some Pecan Sandies into a refined pie crust for a chocolate silk or key lime pie, providing a nutty substitute for the traditional graham cracker crust.

In summer months, squish a spoonful of butter pecan ice cream between two cookies and you’ve got a homemade ice cream sandwich that celebrates the pecan element in two tasty forms.

Coffee & Tea Pairings:

Caramel notes of medium-roast coffee

Earl Grey with a splash of milk

Chai tea, particularly in the colder months

Family-Friendly Options:

Hot apple cider with a sprinkle of cinnamon

Milk (dairy or plant-based)

Vanilla steamer (hot steamed milk with vanilla syrup)

The cookies have just a touch of saltiness, which makes them especially lovely with slightly sweet drinks and finds a congruous sweet-and-salty balance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overworking the Dough: This produces gluten, which means tough not tender cookies. Stir just to combine the ingredients.

Stairs skipped from the fridge: If the cookie doesn’t immediately die in the oven, it ends up floundering because almost 40 percent of cookie failures are during this step — people speed through it. Using chilled dough retains an ideal shape and deepens flavor.

Cold Butter: Butter that’s too cold won’t cream, and butter that’s too warm makes flat cookies. It should feel cool but pliant — you should be able to press a finger into it easily.

Overbaking: Pecan Sandies should be only barely golden around the edges when they leave the oven. They keep cooking on the hot baking sheet, so what looks ever so slightly underdone is actually just right.

Incorrect measurements: Flour particularly — too much results in dry, crumbly cookies that don’t melt in your mouth, but rather fall apart.

Tip for Recovery: If your cookies spread too much while baking, your dough was probably too warm. Chill the remaining dough for another 30 minutes to bake the next batch.

Storing Tips for the Recipe

The flavor improves if these sit for a day, too, as pecan sandies meld and develop. If so, store them properly in order to maintain their quality:

Short-term Storage:

Allow cookies to cool completely before storing

Dramatically store in an airtight container at room temperature between layers of parchment paper

Stays fresh for about 1 week

Freezing Baked Cookies:

Arrange cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm

Move layers into a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers

Freeze for up to 3 months

Defrost in the room for 1-2 hours before serving

Freezing Cookie Dough:

Cold dough logs wrapped tightly in plastic wrap (followed by a layer of aluminum foil)

Freeze for up to 3 months

To prepare from frozen, slice and bake without thawing, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.

Food Safety Tip: Though dense with butter, Pecan Sandies should not be out for longer than 5 days at room temperature if you are in a humid climate, as the nuts can go rancid over time.

Scaling the Recipe

This recipe also doubles beautifully if you’re looking to make larger batches for the holidays or cookie exchanges:

For Double Batch (48 Cookies):

Double Down: Use exactly twice the amount of each ingredient

If the dough is too sticky, make 4 smaller dough balls.

Toast the pecans in batches for evenness

For Half Batch (12 cookies):

Halve all ingredients

Use a smaller mixing bowl

Soften butter for less time

Equipment Considerations:

You can use a standard stand mixer, which handles up to triple batches

For batches over 4x, mix in extra batches to guarantee appropriate texture

Baking Time Adjustments:

Baking time does not change with batch size

For very large batches, within a very large batch, rotate baking sheets top rack to bottom rack halfway through baking

Geographic and Seasonal Variation

Pecan Sandies can be adapted to honor seasonal flavors and regional specialties:

Autumn Variation: Mix in 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and substitute 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with maple sugar for a fall-like cookie.

Holiday Variation: Add ½ teaspoon orange zest and a pinch of nutmeg for a holiday treat that would be a lovely pairing with eggnog.

Southern Style: Stir in 2 tablespoons bourbon and a pinch more salt for a high-end homage to traditional Southern flavors.

Southwestern Twist: Add ¼ teaspoon of ancho chile powder and a pinch of cinnamon for a sweet-heat concoction that plays on the regional pairing of pecans and chile.

(if making at high altitude above 3,500 ft): Add 1 more tbsp flour and reduce both sugars by 1 tbsp to limit spreading.

User Success Stories

“I’ve baked so many Pecan Sandies, but this recipe was the only one that delivered the specific sandy texture I remembered from my grandmother’s cookie for me. Those specific instructions about the temperature of the butter made all the difference!” – Sarah M.

“I liked the gluten-free version as a person with celiac disease.” Combining the recommended 1:1 flour blend with a hint of almond extract produced cookies that no one could tell were gluten-free!” – Michael T.

“The make-ahead option rescued my holiday baking timetable. I prepared the logs of dough a week ahead, froze them, then baked fresh cookies all week long while family visited.” – Rebecca L.

Conclusion

The Pecan Sandies are the epitome of cookie beauty—the kind of cookie where good ingredients and technique with a little care equals something great. It’s a cookie that, with its buttery shortbread base and toasted pecans, is at once unpretentious and elegant, suited to everything from after-school treats to fancy entertaining.

What makes this recipe great is in the details: The pecans toast properly, the butter is that perfect temperature, and the chilling time is necessary. These components take basic ingredients and make cookies with that oh-so-typical sandy texture that just melts in your mouth.

We hope you will give these Pecan Sandies a go and enjoy the joy that comes when you bite into these perfectly tender, nutty cookies. Show us what you make on social media, #PerfectPecanSandies and #ButteryCookieDreams (tag us @newf52), and get more classic dishes, updated to modern standards, by subscribing to our biweekly newsletter.

The true metric of a great cookie recipe is its capacity to create memories—and these Pecan Sandies are sure to make you the go-to baker for years to come.

FAQs

Q: Can I use salted butter in place of unsalted? A: Yes, but cut the extra salt to ¼ teaspoon. The taste will be a little different but still very tasty.

Why did my cookies spread too much while baking? A: The most common reason is butter that’s too warm or not enough chilling time. Do keep your dough well-chilled before you bake.

Q: If I want to use walnuts or another nut instead of pecans? A: Absolutely! Walnuts or macadamia nuts or even hazelnuts work dependably well. You just want to be sure to toast them first for best flavor.

Q: How can I tell when the cookies are done baking? Q: What should they look like when they’re ready? They will look a bit underbaked, but will set as they cool. And baking too long means dry cookies.

Q: Can I use chocolate chips in this recipe? A: Yes, mini chocolate chips are the best. Add ½ cup with the pecans, but this will alter the classic sandy texture just slightly.

Q: Are these cookies meant to be soft or crunchy? A: Not an easy answer because Pecan Sandies have a unique texture that’s not really soft or hard — crumbly but also tender with the signature “short” texture where it kind of melts in your mouth.

Q: How far ahead can I make these for a cookie exchange? A: These cookies get better over the first 24 hours, as their flavors meld. They can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container, so they are ideal for make ahead planning.