Pecan Sandies

Lately I’ve been trying to challenge myself when it comes to baking by doing non-chocolate desserts.  I really can’t believe how many things I bake have chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, chocolate glaze, chocolate frosting, are dipped in chocolate, etc, etc, etc.  You get the point.  I suppose chocolate is just easy and guaranteed to be yummy, but there really is a wonderful world of baking outside of it.

And part of that wonderful world is a simple but delicious little cookie known by many as a Pecan Sandie.  If you never had those delicious Keebler Pecan Sandies growing up, you were deprived!  And even though I didn’t have the originals on hand to do a side by side comparison, I’d say this homemade version is pretty darn close…crisp on the edges, buttery, with a shortbread texture and wonderful pecan flavor.

I adapted this recipe from the one here on allrecipes.com.  Just made a few minor changes to my liking.  Hope you enjoy them!

Pecan Sandies

1/2 c. (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened

1/2 c. Vegetable Oil

1/4 c. Granulated Sugar

1/4 c. Packed Brown Sugar

1/2 c. Powdered Sugar, sifted

1 Egg

1 1/2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract

2 c. AP Flour

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1/2 t. Cream of Tartar

1 t. Salt

1 c. Toasted Pecans, chopped

32 Pecan Halves, for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two pans with parchment paper.

In a mixer, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the egg and then the vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a separate bowl.  Add to the butter/sugar mixture and combine.  Gently fold in pecans, cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 10 minutes.  Scoop dough onto pans with a 2-inch cookie scoop and slightly flatten with the palm of your hand but leave them thick, because they will spread a little.  Press a pecan half into each cookie and bake for 10 minutes, rotating pans and switching racks halfway through.  Let cool on pan for 2 minutes and then cool completely on a cookie rack.

Makes 32 cookies.