Pecan Sandies with Brown Butter

Pecan sandies take their name from the delicate, sandy crumb of classic American shortbread-style cookies. This batch deepens that comfort with nutty brown butter and toasted ground pecans, finished with flaky salt and pecan halves.

Serves 4 · 35 min prep · 15 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 295 cal
• 3g protein
• 27g carbs
• 20g fat
• 3g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely ground
• 16 extra toasted pecan halves for topping
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions

1. 1Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt it, then continue cooking, swirling often, until the milk solids turn deep golden brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5 to 8 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl, scraping in all the browned bits, and cool until just soft but not fully solidified, about 20 minutes.
2. 2Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Toast the bulk of the pecans until fragrant, cool completely, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground but not pasty; set the pecan halves aside for topping.
3. 3In a mixing bowl beat the cooled brown butter with the powdered sugar and brown sugar until creamy and well combined. Mix in the vanilla.
4. 4Add the flour, salt, and ground toasted pecans. Mix on low just until a soft dough comes together; it should hold when pressed.
5. 5Scoop tablespoon-sized portions and roll into smooth balls. Place on the sheets about 2 inches apart and gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass to about 1/2-inch thickness.
6. 6Press one toasted pecan half into the center of each cookie. Chill the shaped cookies for 10 minutes so the edges stay neat.
7. 7Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the bottoms are set. The centers will still look pale.
8. 8While still hot, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt over each cookie. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. The brown-butter and toasted-pecan aroma will be strongest once fully cool.