These butter pecan cookies are all about the buttery, sweet, toasted pecans, and rich flavors. With a shortbread texture and the perfect amount of sweetness, these cookies are a real treat!
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If you like a shortbread texture, this recipe creates that same great buttery flavor with a toasted pecan addition. It’s a simple and easy cookie recipe that’s perfect for any occasion.
Love pecans? Then you’ll definitely want to try my chocolate pecan pie, sweet potato pecan pie, and oatmeal cake with coconut pecan frosting. They’re all packed with pecan flavor and will definitely satisfy your cravings!
This recipe was found in a dessert cookbook I found in an antique store. The book was published in 1968. It has the perfect subtle butter pecan flavor and that delicious buttery shortbread texture.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Shortbread Texture: If you love shortbread, you’ll adore these cookies. They have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s simply irresistible.
- Easy to Make: These cookies definitely have a gourmet touch but they’re incredibly easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients and some easy steps, you’ll have a batch ready in no time!
- Classic Flavors: The combination of butter and pecan in this recipe creates a classic, irresistible flavor that’s hard to beat.
- Crunchy and Buttery: The combination of the pecan halves on top and the shortbread-like cookie creates a wonderfully crunchy and buttery combo.
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Key Ingredients
- Butter: This provides a rich, buttery flavor and a soft, tender texture to the cookies.
- Brown Sugar: It adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness and also helps to make the cookies chewy.
- Egg Yolk: This ingredient adds richness and helps to bind the other ingredients together.
- Flour: It is the main dry ingredient in the recipe, providing structure to the cookies.
- Cream of Tartar: This helps to stabilize the egg yolk in the recipe, and also gives the cookies a slightly tangy flavor.
- Salt: It enhances the overall flavors in the recipe and balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Pecans: These are the star of the show, adding a delicious nutty flavor and a crunchy texture to the cookies.
- Pecan Halves: These will be used to top the cookies before baking, giving them a beautiful, nutty decoration.
Equipment
- Mixer – You’ll need this to cream the butter and sugar, and to mix in the other ingredients. It makes the process much easier than trying to do it by hand.
How to Make Butter Pecan Cookies
Preparation
To start, preheat your oven to 325˚ F. This will make sure that it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake your cookies.
Step 1 – Cream the Butter
Begin by creaming the butter. This means you’ll beat the butter until it’s soft and fluffy.
Step 2 – Add the Sugar and Egg Yolk
Next, slowly add the sugar to the butter and cream them together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, stir in the egg yolk.
Step 3 – Add the Dry Ingredients
Now, stir in the dry ingredients. Start with the flour, then add the salt and cream of tartar.
Step 4 – Shape the Cookies
Take a heaping teaspoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Then, compress and press a pecan half onto the top of the dough ball.
Step 5 – Bake the Cookies
Place your shaped cookies on a baking sheet and bake them in your preheated oven for 10-13 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they are light and golden.
Expert Tip
To guarantee picture-perfect butter pecan cookies, be sure to separate the perfect pecan halves before chopping. Use the ones that are already breaking for the dough and save the flawless halves for topping the cookies.
Recipe Variations
- More Nuts: If you’re a fan of pecans, feel free to add more to the cookie dough. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, but you can easily add more for a nuttier flavor.
- Extra Spices: While this recipe focuses on the delicious flavor of butter and pecans, you can also add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cookie dough for a warm, spicy twist.
- Chocolate Drizzle: For a more decadently sweet treat, consider adding a drizzle of melted chocolate over the cooled butter pecan cookies. The chocolate lovers’ in your family will love it!
What to Serve With
- For a classic afternoon treat, serve these butter pecan cookies with a hot cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk. The combination of the rich, buttery cookies and the bold, smooth coffee is a match made in heaven.
- If you’re hosting a brunch, these cookies make a great addition to the dessert spread. You can also serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a simple yet delicious dessert.
- These cookies are also perfect for gifting. Stack them in a mason jar, tie a ribbon around the lid, and you have a thoughtful homemade gift.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make these cookies up to 2 days ahead of time. Plus, you can also make and freeze them to enjoy later. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
The cookies are done when they are light and golden. This usually takes about 10-13 minutes in a preheated 325˚ F oven. Keep an eye on them, as they can quickly go from golden to overdone.
If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can still make the recipe. However, the cream of tartar helps to give the cookies a slightly more tender texture. You can substitute it with a small amount of baking powder.
This recipe is a great base to experiment with different types of nuts! Consider adding some chopped almonds or walnuts to it or change it up however you like.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freezing: If you want to save some for later, these cookies freeze beautifully. Once they have cooled completely, place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container with wax paper in between the layers. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen cookies, simply let them thaw at room temperature. This should take about 1-2 hours.
More Pecan Cookie Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This butter pecan cookie recipe yields about 45 deliciously nutty cookies.
- How to Scale: If you want to make more than 45 cookies, you can double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. Just make sure your mixer and bowl are large enough to accommodate the increased quantity of ingredients.
Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ Cup butter softened
- ⅔ Cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup chopped pecans
- 45 pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter. Slowly add the sugar and cream together until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the egg yolk.
- Stir in the flour, salad, and cream of tartar.
- Take a heaping teaspoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Compress and press a pecan half onto the top of the dough ball.
- Bake in a preheated 325˚ F oven for 10-13 minutes or until light and golden.
I absolutely love the flavors of this cookie. My grandma was a big fan of anything butter pecan, so I think of her when I enjoy these cookies. They’re the perfect little bite-size cookies that pack a subtle butter pecan flavor.