Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Dorie Greenspan

Adapted by The New York Times

Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies Recipe (1)

Total Time
45 minutes, plus 2 days' refrigeration
Rating
4(477)
Notes
Read community notes

Lovers of pecan sandies will adore these crisp, buttery treats that are a cinch to put together. The recipe is an adaptation of one developed by Dorie Greenspan for her book, “Baking: From My Home to Yours.” Not fond of pecans? Try hazelnuts or almonds instead. —The New York Times

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Ingredients

Yield:Makes 42 cookies

  • cups flour
  • ¼cup cornstarch
  • ¼teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of ground clove
  • 2sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¾cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½cup finely ground pecans
  • Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (42 servings)

82 calories; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 16 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and clove.

  2. Step

    2

    Using a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add the pecans and mix just until combined.

  3. Step

    3

    Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Cover with another sheet of plastic and shape into a square. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll the dough between the plastic to ¼-inch thick, and into a 9½ x 11-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for at least 1½ hours, or up to 2 days.

  4. Step

    4

    Position two oven racks so they divide the oven into thirds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Discard the plastic sheets from the dough. Trim the edges to form a 9 x 10.5/2-inch rectangle, then cut the dough into 1½-inch squares. Place the squares on the baking sheets, then, with a fork, pierce each cookie twice all the way through. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 9 minutes. If desired, dust the cookies with confectioners' sugar while still hot. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Ratings

4

out of 5

477

user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Lauren

I toasted the pecans before grinding and added a teaspoon of vanilla in place of the cloves. The results were delicious. These cookies must be frozen before baking; they will spread no matter what you do, but this keeps the monster contained. I usually prefer underbaked cookies, but the crisper ones in my batch were the best. Yum!

Kathy

Cut the formed dough into thirds, wrap in saran and freeze. The frozen cookies will keep their form better when you cut them to bake. And you will have two more batches to use later.

Zeus G

I'm confused by the dimensions given for rolling the dough.
What does 9/10.5/2 mean?
I think you meant 1/2 inch thickness.
Please clarify.

Susan Telfer

I read all the notes before trying for my second time and had success with this method: refrigerate dough for 1/2 hour, then roll into logs 1 1/2 inches thick in wax paper and chill for 2 hours. Using very sharp knife, slice 1/4 inch thick slices and place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Put in freezer for 10 minutes. Prick with fork. Bake for 9 minutes plus 9 minutes, switching around sheet, but only one sheet at a time. I also roasted the pecans first and used 1 tsp. vanilla. Yum.

Stef Morgan

Use this as a piecrust, just pat it in the pan. Good with Bourbon Pecan Pie.

Linda Leone

I use aluminum or stainless steel cookie sheets and do not use non stick cookie sheets ever, especially recipes with alot of butter. Have dough chilled, and cookie sheets cool before using again. The cornstarch in the recipe makes for a more tender cookie and makes the dough more managable. Great cookie, enjoy!

Diane

Delicious crispy, rich cookies! Did make a few changes, went with walnuts instead and rolled dough into a log and then sliced. Worked great, really easy. Might coat the outside with chopped nuts or sugar next time.

Me

Shaped dough into squared off logs on sheets of plastic wrap. Wrapped up and froze. Cut logs into 1/2 inch slices and baked on parchment lined sheets. Waited until turning the cookie sheets at the halfway point (9 minutes) to prick the cookies with a fork (for decoration). This avoided the breaking/crumbling cookies other complained of. Baked a total of 20 minutes for delicious crisp cookies. Ready to slice and bake cookies in the freezer are a great convenience.

MMS

I'd love to get some feedback from the recipe writer on the spreading issue -- seems like many readers
have developed workarounds -- i too tried freezing and they still spread quite a bit. So a tip on how to achieve the lovely cookie in the photo would be appreciated.

Brandy

Hi Nancy,
There are several options for Non-GMO cornstarch now. Even good old Rumford's has one. Or if in doubt, choose organic which is always GMO free. Happy baking!

Susan

I toasted the pecans before grinding and added a teaspoon of vanilla in place of the cloves. The results were delicious. These cookies must be frozen before baking; they will spread no matter what you do, but this keeps the monster contained. I usually prefer underbaked cookies, but the crisper ones in my batch were the best.

M

Not a fan of cloves so I subbed in nutmeg. These might be my favorite cookies ever.

Lisa

Has anyone tried this with a shortbread pan? I have a really pretty one I’d love to use.

Mark M.

Easy to make and tasty to eat!

Allyson (from comments section)

These are super tasty but I had trouble with the dough. It was too dry and I wasn’t sure what adjustment to make.

Anon

I didn’t have any trouble with spreading. I did not sift. I used regular Land o Lakes butter. I did not freeze the dough. I used vanilla instead of cloves like many have done. They were delicious. Will definitely be making again.

Laura

These were just okay. With the brown sugar it tasted more like a chocolate chip cookie without the chips. I prefer a regular shortbread with pecans.

Jo L.

OK, I was an English major. So I don't really do numbers. But I can't figure out how, if I roll the dough to 1/4" before chilling, I can divide it into 2" thick cookies. Or does the "/2" mean something else? What am I missing here? (And BTW, these are yummy. If not the right size.)

Satou

Better with less sugar than indicated.

M

Not a fan of cloves so I subbed in nutmeg. These might be my favorite cookies ever.

Michael Chertok

Substituted 1 tsp vanilla for cloves

Tuesday

I’m calling them Ugly Cookies. Tasted great. Made a spread out single cookie. Should have looked at the notes first. If I try again I’ll make a roll and freeze.

Addie

Butter oozed from these cookies and I followed recipe to a tee? Too much butter?

Laura

Funny, I pre-cut the dough and froze for 48 hours and put them directly into the oven and they spread all over the place. Taste good but can't use for the holidays unless crushed over ice cream or between a layer cake.

Anthony

I didn’t have the problem with the cookies spreading that others describe here. Made exactly as the recipe, except a bit more clove and some cinnamon. Looks exactly like the picture and texture is dreamy.

Shelley

Total winner recipe.

Deanna

The cookies were very tasty, but if I were to make them again I would cut the amount of butter or add a little more flour. A little too short. Also, , would form the dough into a log and cut a bit thicker maybe 1/2”. The cookies didn’t hold their shape while baking

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Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

What happens if you only use brown sugar in cookies? ›

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

Is powdered sugar or granulated sugar better for shortbread? ›

Takeaway: look for recipes that use granulated sugar for a more crisp-style shortbread and powdered sugar for a more tender shortbread!

Which brown sugar is best for baking? ›

The two types of brown sugar, light and dark, refer to the amount of molasses that is present. Light brown sugar is used more often in baking, while dark brown sugar, with a bolder molasses flavor, is delicious used as a rub for steaks. A lot of bakers, however, will use light and dark brown sugar interchangeably.

What is the secret to making good shortbread? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  • Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  • Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  • Add Flavor. ...
  • Don't Overwork. ...
  • Shape Dough. ...
  • Chill Before Baking. ...
  • Bake Until Golden. ...
  • Add Finishing Touches.

What happens if you add too much butter to shortbread? ›

What happens if you put too much butter in cookies? - Quora. They spread way too far out on the cookie sheet and don't get cooked right. They're too wet, and really greasy, but can be cooked to crispiness but won't have the right texture and it will be hard to reproduce the time of baking.

What does too much brown sugar do to cookies? ›

Brown sugar adds a beautiful color as well as a more complex flavor. They'll also make cookies chewier, softer, and thicker than white sugar. Adding too much can result in dark brown cookies. Adding too little results in paler cookies.

Are cookies better with dark or light brown sugar? ›

Dark brown sugar provides a richer, more complex flavor for baked goods. Its dark color and rich flavor are often used in baked goods that benefit from a deep molasses flavor. It also provides more moisture because of the higher molasses content.

What happens if you use brown sugar instead of regular? ›

In most baking recipes, you can substitute brown sugar for white sugar in a one-to-one ratio. So, if your recipe calls for one cup of white sugar, swap one cup of brown sugar. The sweetness level will be the same, but the brown sugar may change the texture of your baked goods.

Why use unsalted butter in shortbread? ›

Use unsalted butter for balanced flavour. Unsalted butter was traditionally used in baking because it was a superior product to salted - salt is used as a preservative so unsalted butter was thought to be fresher.

Why do you put baking powder in shortbread? ›

You can start with this recipe for Salted caramel shortbread bars; your baking powder will give the rich and buttery shortbread just enough lift to make it flaky and delicate. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment.

How to tell when shortbread is done? ›

Since you will be cooking your shortbread in the lower third of the oven, you will get some top browning as the cookie bakes. The surface of the shortbread should be a toasty light brown when it is cooked. It should never appear raw or slightly opaque in the middle.

Is it better to bake with light brown sugar or dark brown sugar? ›

When a recipe calls for "brown sugar," it is usually referring to light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar should be used only when specified. This is important when baking recipes sensitive to moisture and density (such as cakes) because of the difference in moisture content between the two types of brown sugar.

Is turbinado sugar the same as brown sugar? ›

Turbinado Sugar is a type of Brown Sugar, but not the same as what you're probably used to.

How long should you refrigerate cookie dough for? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

What went wrong with my shortbread? ›

Make sure your butter is at the right temperature

Fine Cooking explains that the butter should be at refrigerator temperature. While many cookie recipes call for softened butter or at room temperature, if your butter isn't cold when making shortbread, it's likely to turn out greasy or be difficult to roll out.

What happens if you don't poke holes in shortbread? ›

Piercing the shortbread with a fork is not only for decoration, but it's meant for more even baking. Poking holes in the shortbread allows the heat to penetrate the cookie, hence more even baking. Notice I'm using powdered sugar here. You'll see lots of shortbread recipes using granulated sugar.

What happens if you over mix shortbread? ›

It's important to avoid over-mixing shortbread dough, which will develop gluten and make the finished product tough, not tender. To make sure that the flour mixes completely with little effort, sift the flour first to get out all of the lumps.

How can you tell if shortbread is underbaked? ›

Begin checking at the tail end of the cooking time. Undercooked shortbread will be doughy and chewy. Slightly overcooked and it will become chalky, brittle and hard.

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