Description
This buttery pecan shortbread is a one-bowl cookie recipe made with vanilla, cinnamon, and crunchy pecans, and without eggs or leavening. There’s also no chilling or rolling required, since it’s baked in a pan and cut into squares afterward!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar (126 grams) sugar
- 2 1/2 cups flour (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9-inch square pan, lightly greased and lined with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, extract, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy and well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Next, slowly add the flour ½ cup at a time. With the last ½ cup of flour, add the pecans.
- Mix at a low speed until the dough is crumbly, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat only until the dough starts to come off the sides of the bowl and stick together.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, press the dough together if needed, then press into the prepared pan.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 375°F. Bake for 18-22 minutes.
Notes
- Slice and Bake option- If you prefer a slice-and-bake cookie, separate the dough in half. Roll into two logs that are 6-7 inches long and 1.75″ wide. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and slice ¼” -3/8″ thick. Bake for 9-11 minutes. This makes about 2 dozen cookies.
- Storage: Keep these pecan shortbread cookies stored in an airtight container on the counter. They’ll last for up to 4 days at room temperature.
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Freezing: To freeze dough, double wrap the longs and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw for a couple hours in the fridge and slice and bake per the above instructions. To freeze baked cookies, seal inside a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze the cookies for up to 3 months and thaw them at room temperature when it’s time to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 337
- Sugar: 11.6 g
- Sodium: 99.6 mg
- Fat: 22.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.5 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 40.7 mg