Pecan Christmas Cookies

Table of Contents

Equipment Needed

Before you begin, gather the following kitchen equipment to ensure a smooth baking experience:

Food Processor or Chef’s Knife: For finely chopping the pecans.
Standard Baking Sheets: 2 large rimmed cookie sheets.
Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mats: For effortless release and easy clean-up.
Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: Equipped with a paddle attachment.
Mixing Bowls: Medium and large sizes.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: For precise ingredient measurement.
Small Cookie Scoop: 1-tablespoon capacity for uniform size.
Wire Cooling Rack: For cooling the cookies evenly.

Raw Pecan Halves: $1 \frac{1}{2}$ cups (170g)
Unsalted Butter: 1 cup (2 slices / 225g), softened to room temperature
Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): $\frac{1}{2}$ cup (60g)
Pure Vanilla Extract: 1 tablespoon (15ml)
Pure Almond Extract: $\frac{1}{2}$ teaspoon (optional, for extra nutty aroma)
All-Purpose Flour: 2 cups (240g), spooned and leveled
Fine Sea Salt: $\frac{1}{2}$ teaspoon

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Spread the raw pecan halves in a single layer across an ungreased baking sheet.
Toast in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring halfway through, until aromatic and slightly darkened. Watch carefully to ensure they do not burn.
Remove the pecans from the oven and let them cool completely on a heatproof board.
Once cooled, finely chop the pecans using a sharp knife or pulse them briefly in a food processor. You want fine, crumbly pieces without turning them into pecan butter.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened unsalted butter and $\frac{1}{2}$ cup of powdered sugar.
Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and thoroughly creamy.
Add the pure vanilla extract (and almond extract, if using). Beat on low speed for 30 seconds until fully incorporated into the butter base.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt.
Gradually add the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed until a thick dough begins to form.
Fold in the finely chopped toasted pecans using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon until distributed evenly throughout the dough.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the dough onto a sheet of wax paper.
Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too flat in the oven, keeping them nice and round.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Scoop 1-tablespoon portions of dough and roll them gently between your palms to form neat, round 1-inch balls.
Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottoms are lightly golden brown, while the tops remain pale.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes until they are firm enough to handle.
Place the remaining $1 \frac{1}{2}$ cups of sifted powdered sugar into a medium-sized shallow bowl.
Gently roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar until fully coated, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. The heat from the cookies will cause this first layer of sugar to melt slightly into a glaze.
Allow the cookies to cool completely to room temperature (about 15 to 20 minutes).
Once completely cool, roll each cookie in the powdered sugar a second time for that classic, snow-dusted Christmas appearance.

Room Temperature: Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. Add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar before serving if desired.
Freezing Baked Cookies: You can freeze fully baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature and toss in fresh powdered sugar before serving.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Form the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the total baking time.

The following nutrition facts are estimated per serving (1 cookie) based on a yield of 36 cookies:

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