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Home » Cookies & Bars » Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Nov 23, 2020 · 1 Comment

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Pecan shortbread cookies are a traditional favourite we need right now! Easy, rich, salty, and sweet, don’t underestimate these tasty treats.

Overhead image of a plate of pecan shortbread cookies surrounded by decorative pieces of evergreen.

This post first appeared February 7, 2019, and was last updated November 23, 2020.

We have the biggest soft spot for shortbread! Even more so when it comes in the form of a classic slice-and-bake icebox cookie. Also called refrigerator cookies, icebox cookies are rolled into a log, then stored in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake. That means you can slice and bake these gorgeous pecan shortbread cookies at a moment’s notice! Not too sweet, buttery, and crisp, they make a subtle nutty addition to any cookie box.

You’ve probably seen sanding sugar before in many festive colours – red, green, pink, blue, and more. It’s a coarse sugar used for decorating. We rolled our cookie log in natural brown sanding sugar which is widely available online, in grocery stores, and at most bulk stores.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • Tips & Notes
  • Substitutions
  • Recipe

Two stacks of pecan shortbread cookies with clementines in the foreground and background.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Ingredients

Ingredients to make pecan shortbread cookies.

Method

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

  • Butter, brown sugar, and vanilla about to be mixed in a large glass bowl with a hand mixer.
  • A hand mixer inside a large glass bowl making cookie dough.

Next, add the flour and continue to mix just until combined. The cookie dough will be quite crumbly.

Add the chopped pecans to the bowl and mix to combine. 

A glass bowl of crumbly cookie dough with chopped pecans.

Dump the dough out onto a work surface and gather it together with your hands.

A mound of cookie dough.

Still using your hands, gently press and mold the dough into a log shape. Wrap the log in plastic wrap or parchment paper, then carefully roll it on the work surface to even out the shape, making it rounder.

Optional step – Once rolled, gently unwrap the cookie dough log then carefully roll it sanding sugar to coat the outside. Roll the dough back up in the parchment paper.

A hand rolling a cookie dough log in sanding sugar.

Preheat the oven and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Chill the wrapped pecan shortbread log in the freezer while the oven preheats.

Remove the cookie dough log from the freezer and gently unwrap it from the paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into rounds. Place the cookies on the prepared baking trays.

  • A hand slicing a cookie dough log with a knife.
  • A sliced cookie dough log.

Top each cookie with a pecan half, if using.

Unbaked sliced icebox cookies on parchment paper.

Bake the pecan shortbread cookies until the edges and bottoms are lightly golden. Cool the cookies on the baking trays for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Close up overhead image of pecan shortbread cookies.

Tips & Notes

Cookie dough logs can be molded into any length or thickness you like, however, the baking times will change.

A rolled log of cookie dough will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to two months. Just slice and bake as many as you want or need.

Once baked, pecan shortbread cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to two months.

A stack of pecan shortbread cookies with whole clementines nearby.

Substitutions

Walnuts or almonds are great substitutes for pecans.

A plate of pecan shortbread cookies with a glass of milk in the background.

More Cookie Inspiration

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Fresh Gingerbread Cookies

Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar

Chocolate Snowball Cookies

If you make this recipe, let us know by tagging @baked_theblog + #bakedtheblog on Instagram! We love to feel like we’re in the kitchen with you.

Continue to Content

Recipe

Yield: 30 cookies

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Overhead image of a plate of pecan shortbread cookies surrounded by decorative pieces of evergreen.

Pecan shortbread cookies are a traditional favourite we need right now! Easy, rich, salty, and sweet, don't underestimate these tasty treats.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (56 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (165 g) white flour
  • ¼ cup (28 g) chopped pecans
  • Sanding sugar, optional
  • Halved pecans for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  2. Next, add the flour and continue to mix just until combined. The cookie dough will be quite crumbly at this point.
  3. Add the chopped pecans to the bowl and mix to combine. 
  4. Dump the dough out onto a work surface and gather it together with your hands. Gently press and mold the dough into a log shape, about 9-inches (23-cm) long, and 2-inches (5-cm) in diameter. Wrap the log in plastic wrap or parchment paper, then carefully roll it on the work surface to even out the shape, making it rounder.
  5. Optional step - Once rolled, gently unwrap the cookie dough log then carefully roll it sanding sugar to coat the outside. Roll the dough back up in the parchment paper.
  6. Chill the pecan shortbread log in the freezer for 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
  7. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150C°). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
  8. Remove the cookie dough log from the freezer and gently unwrap it from the paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into ¼-inch (6-mm) thick rounds. Place the cookies on the prepared baking trays. Top each cookie with a pecan half, if using.
  9. Bake the cookies for 28 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Cookie dough logs can be molded into any length or thickness you like, however, the baking times will change.

A rolled log of cookie dough will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to two months. Just slice and bake as many as you want or need.

Once baked, pecan shortbread cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to two months.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Walnuts or almonds are great substitutes for pecans.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 34Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator.

© adapted from Ashley Colbourne
Cuisine: American, European / Category: Cookies & Bars
Previous Post: « Brown Butter Sesame Seed Cookies
Next Post: The Best Vanilla Cupcakes »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deb says

    February 09, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    I baked this using honey harvested by a colleague. The flavors were superb!

    Reply

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