These Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies buttery nuggets with a pecan half baked in the center of the dough. They are finished off with a light confectioner's sugar drizzle and festive sprinkles, making them the perfect cookie to put out on your holiday cookie tray!
Butter Pecan Nuggets are a winner recipe and a long time favorite of mine! The buttery shortbread cookie dough has a toasted pecan hiding inside. I always put a roasted and salted pecan half just because I like the sweet/salty contrast!
I knew when I made this Hazelnut Shortbread cookie, I was hooked on shortbread. That's when I decided to try making these pecan shortbread cookies that would have a pecan baked inside of the shortbread dough!
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Why You'll Love Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Buttery Goodness: These cookies are rich and tender thanks to real butter, which gives them that classic shortbread texture we all know and love.
Balanced flavors: The combination of lightly sweetened shortbread and the nutty flavor from toasted pecans creates a satisfying, sweet and nutty bite.
Impress Your Guests: Whether for holiday cookie trays or special gifts, these cookies look beautiful and taste like they came straight from a bakery.
Ingredients
Shortbread is made of butter, flour, sugar, and flavorings. Pretty basic and very easy to make. Below are the ingredients you need to make these pecan shortbread cookies.
- Pecan halves
- Salted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Powdered sugar
- Whole milk
- Colored sugars
See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.
How To Make Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Pecan shortbread cookies are really easy to put together and start out a bit different from your normal cookie recipe; it all starts in the saucepan on top of your stove!
- Step 1: In a large saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Step 2: Add flour to butter mixture until well mixed. Shape into ¾ inch balls. Press a toasted pecan half into each ball and enclose nut in dough to form an oval.
- Step 3: Place shortbread cookies on parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Step 4: Mix together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Step 5: Drizzle over pecan shortbread cookies and decorate with sugar.
- Step 6: Store cookies in an airtight container up to 4 days, in the freezer up to 3 months.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Heat and stir til butter is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool.
- Stir in flour til well mixed. Shape into ¾ inch balls. Press a toasted pecan half into each ball and enclose nut in dough to form an oval.
- Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or til done. Remove and cool.
- Stir together powdered sugar, clear vanilla and enough milk to make of drizzling consistency.
- Place frosting in decorating bag and cut at the very tip to make a small hole. Drizzle over cookies.
- Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.
Substitutions
Nut swap: use whole roasted walnuts in place of pecans.
Extra buttery flavor: substitute ghee for the butter for an even nuttier flavor.
Sugar swap: for deeper more caramel like flavors, use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar.
Variations
Brown Butter Pecan Shortbread: brown the butter before mixing in the sugar.
Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies: substitute maple extract for the vanilla and make a maple glaze with maple syrup and confectioners sugar and drizzle over top of the cookies. Sprinkle with maple sugar.
Sugar-Coated Pecan Shortbread: roll cookie dough in sugar before baking for a crispy sugar exterior.
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Wooden spoon
Storage
Store pecan shortbread cookies in an airtight container up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Pecan Shortbread Cookies
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Ingredients
For the cookies
- ¾ cup pecan halves , toasted
- 1 cup butter
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
For the icing drizzle
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons milk
- colored sugars (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Cook and stir til butter is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool
- Stir flour into butter mixture til well mixed. Shape dough into ¾ inch balls. Press a toasted pecan half into each ball and enclose nut in dough to form an oval.
- Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or til done. Remove and cool.
- In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk to make a drizzling consistency. Place frosting in decorating bag and cut at the very tip to make a small hole. Drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar.
Liz @ Books n' Cooks says
I've never heard of this type of cookie before, but I'm excited to try one!
Cindy says
I like the little surprise inside! I have to try these out soon!
Sue Lau says
These look so perfectly bite sized- and love that blue sugar.
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
I'm having a great time co-hosting The Ultimate Virtual Cookie & Goodies Part & Giveaway. Thanks for linking up your tasty recipe! Stop back by the party and exchange more recipes. Pinned, Shared, and Tweeted... 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
sarahworldcook says
Came across you via StumbleUpon. Great recipe- very pretty. They look like they would be great with tea/coffee. I'm looking forward to checking your site out more.
http://homestyleworldcook.blogspot.com
moderncomfortfood says
My extended family has a Christmas cookie bake and share party every year, and I'm definitely going to pick these as my 2010 contribution. I just love everything about these excellent cookies, Shelby. Beautiful!
Megan says
What a pretty little cookie. They remind me of your snowflake cookies. They were that pretty blue too and I have not forgotten them!
marla {Family Fresh Cooking} says
These are such delicate & sweet cookies. Perfect with a cup of coffee & the upcoming winter holidays 🙂
Ingrid says
Yay! Congrats to me and thanks to you!
~ingrid
Flourchild says
I love a good butter cookie and thes look especially delicious! Im going to try your recipe this week!