Pecan shortbread cookies are a delightful addition to any dessert table, afternoon tea, or snack grazing board.
The end of the year marks the sweetest season of all. These shortbread wedges are perfect little not-so-sweet treats to share with friends and family this holiday season.
Shortbread is a simple classic cookie made with a few kitchen staple ingredients. All you really need is butter, flour, and sugar.
This pecan version warms up the flavors with brown sugar and toasted pecan. A light drizzle of maple icing adds just the hint of surprise. The resulting cookie is buttery and crumbly. It simply melts in your mouth!
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.
I participated in 2023’s cookie swap with these chocolate sugar cookies.
Ingredients
Only a handful of ingredients are needed to make pecan shortbread cookies. As such, it is vital to use high quality ingredients. Use relatively new ingredients. Don’t use months old flour that you’ve had tucked away in the pantry.
Taste the pecans to make sure they haven’t gone rancid. Smell and taste the butter to ensure it hasn’t absorbed any unwanted flavors from the refrigerator. The pecans and butter are responsible for much of the cookie’s flavor.
Recipe can be made with light or dark brown sugar. Darker sugar will result in a darker colored cookie. Alternatively, you may also use regular granulated sugar.
Cornstarch is added to all-purpose flour to create a lighter, softer, more crumbly texture. Cornstarch reduces the protein content of the mixture resulting in a more tender crumb.
Recipe Variations
Don’t want to make shortbread in a tart pan? This dough also works as slice and bake cookies! Roll the logs in turbinado sugar or chopped pecans for more crunch. See the recipe card for details instructions.
This recipe also works with other nuts. It tastes great with hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts.
Want to try pecan shortbread with an unusual secret ingredient? This variation of pecan shortbread contains canned white beans!
Instructions
Begin by preheating the oven and measuring out all your ingredients. Toast pecans to achieve the best flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Cut the shortbread while warm to achieve clean slices! If you wait too long, the shortbread will cool and firm up. Room temperature shortbread will likely crumble and fall apart when you try to slice it.
Use a sharp knife or a serrated knife (in a gentle sawing motion) to slice warm shortbread cookie. A good rule of thumb, let the shortbread cool for 8 to 10 minutes. It will still be warm to the touch and easy to handle.
Pecan shortbread cookie wedges are best served at room temperature. This will allow you to enjoy the crumbly texture and enhanced buttery flavor. Pair these cookies with tea, coffee, or warm milk. These are excellent with horchata latte or cinnamon dolce latte.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature (away from direct sunlight or heat) for up to a week. Best consumed within 3 days of baking.
More Pecan Recipes
Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 9-inch fluted tart shell pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pecan halves, (80 g) divided*
- ½ cup light brown sugar, (100 g), packed
- 1 cup salted butter, (226 g), softened
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, (200 g)
- ½ cup cornstarch, (60 g)
Maple Glaze
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar, (90 g)
- 1 Tablespoon hot water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Place pecans on sheet tray. Toast in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned and aromatic. Pecans will be soft straight from the oven. Allow to cool to room temperature before processing and/or chopping.
- Place about ½ cup (55 g) pecans in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground (until sand-like in texture). Roughly chop remaining ¼ cup (35 g) pecans to small pieces. Set aside both.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric hand mixer), beat butter and light brown sugar until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Add in finely ground pecan. Mix until well combined.
- Whisk together flour and cornstarch in small bowl. (If cornstarch is clumpy, sift before adding to flour.) Add flour mixture to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until dough starts to form.
- Add in chopped pecans. Mix until dough forms large clumps and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a 9-inch fluted tart shell (with a removable bottom). Use the flat bottom of a drinking glass to press dough into an even layer. Use fork tines to dock dough all over. Bake for about 28-30 minutes, just until the edges of the shortbread brown. *It is better to err on the side of under-baked versus over-baked.
- Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Carefully unmold from tart shell pan. Place on cutting board. Use a sharp knife to divide shortbread into 12 wedges. *For clean slices, be sure to cut while shortbread is still WARM!
Glaze:
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract, and hot water in a medium bowl. Stir until mixture is smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over sliced shortbread cookie wedges.
Notes
- To achieve clean slices, it is important to cut while the shortbread is still warm! If you wait too long, the shortbread will cool and firm up. Room temperature shortbread will likely crumble and fall apart when you try to slice it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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