Pecan Sandies Recipe - Thomas Keller-Inspired (2024)

Pecan Sandies are the kind of cookies that make you smile. They’re buttery cookies, with crunchy pecans inside, and they have this amazing crumbly texture.

Read on and I’ll show you step-by-step how to make this Pecan Sandies Recipe by the legendary Thomas Keller, in just 25 minutes. Did I mention this easy cookie recipe uses only 4 ingredients?

As a bonus, this is an easy, make-ahead cookie recipe that is perfect for the busy holiday season. Mix up a batch of the dough today and then freeze it until you are ready to bake these closer to Christmas.

What are Pecan Sandies?

If you love pecans than this is a great cookie to add to your holiday cookie exchangethis year. But like our easy pecan pie recipe and our turtle dream bars, you can make this classic cookie all year round. I promise you won’t be judged!

This recipe comes from one of America’s most famous chefs, Thomas Keller. We’ve made several of his recipes before, including his simple roast chicken and these tasty chocolate brownies.

If you’ve never made homemade Pecan Sandies, you are in for a treat! This homemade version of this cookie recipe is way better than the store-bought cookie counterparts from companies like the Keebler company.

Making them at home is an easy baking task that brings out the best flavors, and the recipe is so simple that it might become one of your favorite things to bake!

These aren’t just any cookies; they’re a tradition, a buttery shortbread cookie filled with nutty goodness. They’re similar to Mexican wedding cookies and tea cookies but with a woody charm that makes them stand out on any cookie platter.

Ingredients for Pecan Sandies

Like our Amish sugar cookies, and snowball cookies, these pecan sandies use a short list of simple ingredients. This helps make these the perfect recipe for first time bakers and cookie experts alike!

• Unsalted Butter: At room temperature, it mixes smoothly, creating a base for our buttery cookies.
• All Purpose Flour: We use this in almost all of our cookie recipes. I generally prefer baking with King Arthur Flour. It’s high quality and consistent so I always know what I’m getting. I love using this for my cake recipes and for bread making too!
• Pecans: Chopped, these add a woodland touch, giving a crunch with each bite of these crumbly cookies.
• Powdered Sugar: Growing up, my mom always called this confectioners’ sugar. It’s one of those ingredient names that I always stumbled over, so I definitely prefer the term powdered sugar instead!. We use this instead of brown sugar or white sugar that is commonly found in almost any type of cookie you can imagine. Using powdered sugar give these delicious pecan sandies a soft, sweetness that is a perfect match for their nutty flavor. You can also sprinkle a light layer on top of the cookies for a festive, wintry touch!

How to Make Pecan Sandies

(See the recipe card below for the complete directions.)

The nice thing about this easy cookie recipe is that you don’t need a lot of equipment. There’s no food processor involved and no fancy paddle attachment or anything like that.

If you want, you can use an electric hand mixer or you can just mix up a batch of these by hand.

Part One: Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350° F and get two cookie sheets ready by lining them with parchment paper.

Part Two: Mixing

Combine the flour and pecans together in a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir them together. Make sure the pecans are all covered in flour.

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar. Using an electric hand mixer, start at low speed, gradually increasing to medium speed until it’s well mixed.

Work the powdered sugar into the creamed butter until the mixture is nice and fluffy.

Add the flour and pecan mixture to the creamed butter and sugar.

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Stir the flour and pecans into the rest of the mixture until it is just combined.

Step Three: Forming Cookies

Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls, then gently flatten them on the prepared baking sheet.

For uniform cookies, use a small cookie scoop. If you’re using a kitchen scale, you’ll want each of these to be about 30 grams, or 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Space them each about an inch and a half apart to allow for spreading while they bake.

Step Four: Baking

Bake until the bottom edges of the cookies are golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack afterwards.

Pro Baking Tip

Use a small hand-held fine mesh strainer to evenly sprinkle powdered sugar over the baked pecan sandies. This will give a nice, even coat of “snow” on the cookies.

Substitutions and Variations

• Gluten Concerns: Try gluten-free flours for gluten-free pecan sandies that are just as mouthwatering!
• Variations: Add chocolate chips for a different taste, turning them into chocolatey cookies that you’ll adore. This is a delcious alternative for those who have nut allergies.
• Vanilla Extract: Add a cap full of this if you like. I find that it can elevate the nutty goodness of these little cookies.

Common Questions

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