Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Inspired by some cookies I had at Bread Furst bakery in DC, I tried to pack some shortbread cookies with as much pecan flavor as I could.

I started with the Pecan Shortbread recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction and made some minor modifications.

Ingrediants

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of course pecan flour (preferably from pulsing pecans in a food processor)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (100g) finely chopped pecans

Preparing

1. Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 5-8 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
2. Pulse pecans in food processor, getting them as fine as possible (approaching pecan flour). Prepare dry mix by stirring together pecan flour, flour, cinnamon, salt, and chopped pecans.
3. Add the dry mix from step 2 into the standing mixer with the butter/sugar and combine on slow – try not to overwork the dough here.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide or cut into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours.
5. Pull out the logs and slice into half-inch cookies; place on cookie sheets with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake at 350 degrees about about 15 minutes until edges of cookies start to brown (center may still be soft but don’t worry). Pull out cookies and allow them to continue baking/set on the cookie sheets for another 5 minutes. Salt the tops of the cookies. Then transfer to wire cooling rack to complete.