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Pecan Sandies cookies are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and loaded with pecans. They’re not too sweet, which makes it so easy to just keep popping them in your mouth…absolutely delicious!
My husband recently tagged along with me to the grocery store. This never happens.
Mostly because back when the kids were younger he would get them all riled up in the store and I’d lose my mind. But also because do you know what he does sometimes? He grabs packages of cookies off the shelf and puts him in our cart and HOW DARE HE.
Obviously, this makes me feel as though I’m failing as a wife by not keeping the man stocked in cookies. Which is ridiculous, because we nearly always have a cookie jar full of homemade…something. Like our peanut butter banana cookies, Texas sheet cake cookies, or our chocolate peanut butter cookies.
Anyway, I put the package back on the shelf, came straight home, and angry baked him some pecan sandies. I sure showed him who’s boss.
What are Pecan Sandies?
Pecan Sandies remind me a bit of shortbread cookies with that buttery flavor and texture. They’re a simple cookie that’s not overly sweet, which I love because that means i can just sit and eat them like potato chips. 😉 Danger.
Y’all, these are good. Soft on the inside, that crunchy crispy crackly thing going on the outside thanks to the little roll in sugar before baking, and of course, they’re loaded with buttery pecans. Heaven!
Pecan Sandies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Slowly add to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Stir in the pecans.
- The dough will be somewhat sticky, but roll it into 24 small balls and roll each ball in sugar.
- Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet 1 inch apart (they don’t spread much at all) and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges are golden.
- Cool on wire racks.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Ingredient Notes:
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Pecans – The key ingredient of this pecan sandies recipe! You’ll mix a whole cup of chopped pecans into the cookie dough.
Sugar – You’ll need granulated white sugar, packed brown sugar, and powdered sugar.
Cream of Tartar – Along with the baking soda this will help the pecan sandies rise. You’re only using half a teaspoon so it won’t add much of the tangy flavor that you’d get with snickerdoodle cookies.
Vanilla Extract – For a little extra flavor.
What We Love About THIS PECAN SANDIES RECIPE:
- Pecans: This one is kind of obvious, but the pecans are pretty amazing in these cookies. Especially if you toast them first! See more on that below.
- Texture: These cookies have an irresistible texture! A crackly sugary exterior and a soft, buttery interior that’s packed with crunchy toasted pecans.
- Holiday Cookies: We eat these sandies all year long but they also make great cookies for the holidays!
Toasted Pecans:
If you want to infuse some extra flavor into the pecans you can toast them first! It’s a simple way to get enhance the nutty flavor. It also makes your kitchen smell great.
Add the pecans to a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they’ve taken on a toasted color and nutty fragrance.
You can also toast them in the oven. Just spread them out on a baking sheet and toast them at 350° for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
What Readers are Saying!
“Just made these and they are wonderful. A nice treat that isn’t too sweet, but just right. I’m sure I will be making these many more times. Thanks for a great recipe!” – Shasta
How to Make Pecan Sandies Cookies:
Wet Ingredients: Begin by by beating together butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.
Beat in some egg and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Dry Ingredients: Mix in all the dry ingredients, excluding the pecans which we’ll get to in the next step!
My Favorite Hand Mixer!
It’s so easy to whip up dessert with this cute hand mixer. It doesn’t take up much space and is a must for any kitchen!
Pecans – Once the cookie dough has come together, add in your chopped pecans and give it a good mix until they are well combined with the dough.
Bake: Roll the dough into 24 equal sized balls and then roll each ball in a bit of granulated sugar. Bake your cookies for 12 minutes. The edges should just be beginning to brown.
Helpful TipS FOR BAKING PECAN SANDIES!
- Process: If you’re starting with whole pecans you can make quick work of chopping them if you’ve got a food processor! If you want smaller, finer pieces of pecan in the cookies a processor makes that easier too.
- Modify: You can use all kinds of other ingredients and mix ins including different chopped nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts. Dried fruit like cranberries or raisins, or chocolate chips, are also good choices!
- Mixing: Don’t overmix the cookie dough ingredients or it could lead to a tougher texture.
Let the pecan sandies cool before you start popping them in one by one. They’re not overly sweet, which makes it really easy to just sit and eat the whole batch. Ask me how I know. 😉
FAQs:
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they should last for at least 4 to 5 days.
Yes, both the raw cookie dough and the baked cookies will freeze well. For best results flash freeze the dough or cookies first by portioning them out onto a baking sheet and freezing for a couple of hours before moving them to a freezer safe ziploc bag.
How To Freeze Cookie Dough:
Want to make these cookies ahead of time and bake them up warm and fresh? It’s so easy!
Dough: Make the dough as directed and scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Roll into balls and through the sugar.
Flash Freeze: Pop the cookie sheet into your freezer for about 1 hour. This will allow the dough to freeze around the outside so that the cookie dough doesn’t stick together.
Bag: Place the cookie dough balls in a freezer safe ziptop bag and press out the air as you seal the bag.
Freeze: Place the bag in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake: Remove as many balls of cookie dough as you’d like to bake from the freezer and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do not thaw. Bake frozen cookie dough for 1-2 minutes longer than the recipe calls for.
MORE FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPES!
This post was originally published in October 2012. It was updated with new photos November 2019.
Dalford says
A.P. flour or self rising?
Karly says
All purpose flour
Rose Mary Green says
I’ve been thinking of these cookies for more than 45 years. A kind neighbor of my parents store would give us these cookies as children! I think these are the ones I’ve dreamt about. I am going to make your recipe for Christmas! thank you
Karly says
Oh goodness, I hope they live up to your expectations! 🙂
Shasta says
Just made these and they are wonderful. A nice treat that isn’t too sweet, but just right. I’m sure I will be making these many more times. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kathy says
hahah, exactly my reaction to buying packaged cookies too! These look great 🙂
June g. says
Lol! I feel the same way about pecan sandies, my dad would always bring them home. Along with maple pecan ice cream;) yours look yummy! I still refuse to go into Chico’s or Coldwater Creek…no offense to anyone who likes these stores;)
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
Just like monster cookies, I feel like pecan sandies are seriously underrated!!! While they do remind me of my grandmother, I have to say – the way they melt in your mouth, the chunky pecans, and butter texture…. they are irresistible. I’ve never made them myself though. Adding them to my to-bake list!! Oh and Kevin knows he’s not allowed to buy packaged cookies – it breaks my heart!!!
Maria says
No lie…the day after I read this, I went to visit my parents and surprise…pecan sandies were sitting on their counter. I had a good laugh and told them about this post.
Karis's Kitchen says
My grandmother always had Keebler Pecan Sandies in her cupboard when we visited, and I too associate them as being old people cookies…but delicious old people cookies!
nicole @ I am a Honey Bee says
your grocery store story cracks me up. I shop on my own but because my BF likes to take off with the cart or push it through the store at break neck speed and i can’t keep up with sorting coupons and picking things out. So then I get stabby.
beautiful cookies.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
If loving old people cookies is wrong then I don’t wanna be right 😉
Melissa says
I love pecan sandies, I dare not buy them because I will eat them all. I blame my mom, who is now indeed old and has been old my entire life, since she was 37 when I was born. And coincidently I am 37 today. But I think I have always been old: I’m I bed by 9, I like my lunch promptly at noon, dinner at 5, love me a good game show. Been like that my whole life. I am making these tomorrow and I can’t wait!
Karly says
@Melissa,
I’ve always been old, too. Nothin’ wrong with that. 🙂
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Ohmygod I love these cookies! I haven’t bought a package of Pecan Sandies forever…and miss them. Too funny how guys are at the grocery store. My dad was the same way. I don’t think my husband knows where ours is…
Riley says
I’ve always been 85 on the inside! No shame when I eat these pecan sandies!
susan says
My husband does all the shopping these days. I can’t remember when he brought home store bought cookies . . . Like you I love to cook. And as for the age thing, I’ve been borrowing on the next year since I turned thirty. It gives me a chance to deal with the reality of yet another year so it doesn’t sneak up on me. Now I’m way past 30 and I have to think about what year it is and do the arithmetic!