Pecan Sandies Recipes- Easy Shortbread
These Pecan Sandies are an easy, buttery slice-and-bake shortbread cookie loaded with pecans. You won’t believe how easy this Keebler copycat recipe is.
These beloved vintage cookies even have their own day on the National Day Calendar, June 23rd. They require only six ingredients and are super easy.
As for store-bought cookies, there are only a handful I like. These Dutch Cocoa Cookies are one and Pecan Sandies, or Lorna Doone (which is shortbread) are about the only other ones.
What You Need
- Butter: Always use unsalted butter when baking.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is fine.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract will give you the best flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is good, there’s no need to use special flour.
- Salt: Regular table salt will work well.
- Pecans: Fresh pecans have the best flavor.
How to Make Pecan Sandies
First, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and light.
Then add the flour in about 4 additions, mixing just until incorporated in between additions.
Add the vanilla and pecans.
Mix just to incorporate them. Don’t overmix.
Break the dough into two parts. Roll into a log, trying to get the logs as uniform as possible. The dough is very short (the butter-to-flour ratio is higher), so it wants to break apart; squeeze it together. Roll up the log in the parchment paper.
Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Then slice off 1/2-inch thick slices. You need a very sharp knife because the dough wants to break while you cut it.
I found a small pairing knife, and rolling the log as I cut helped slice it cleanly. Bake for 20 minutes at 325°F on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
How to Store Them
Let the pecan cookies cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Pack them into an airtight container, separating the layers with wax paper.
Store on the counter for 3-4 days. These cookies freeze well for up to a month.
Other delicious cookies
- Dutch Cocoa cookies
- Gluten-free chocolate cookies
- Ambrosia macaroons
- Jam-filled cookies
- Cut out cookies
- Ischler’s Torte
Helpful Tools
With crunchy pecans and just the right amount of sweetness, these cookies are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up or after-school snack.
These are little bites of buttery goodness. I hope you liked the post today for these Pecan Sandies.
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Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Pecan Sandies
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- To toast pecans, sprinkle in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until nuts begin to brown, then stirring constantly until nuts are light brown. Remove from heat; cool.
- In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating just until blended. Stir in toasted pecans and vanilla.
- Divide dough in half; shape each portion into 2 (1 1/4-inch-thick) logs (about 12 inches long). Wrap in cooking parchment paper; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
- Heat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Unwrap dough; cut into 1/4-inch slices. On cookie sheets, place slices 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker! I added salt because they really need it! They are very flat without it!
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Nutrition
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Originally published June 22, 2018. Updated November 21, 2025.
I also prefer savoury to sweet. So, I rarely make cakes or biscuits. But my hubby has a sweet tooth and often laments the lack of sweet nibbles in our house. I think he’d love these sandies. I shall make some for him!
Oh, you meany!! Poor guy! You should really make him some! ???? Thanks, Jacqui!
One of my favorite cookies! Can’t wait to try your recipe!
It is really very good! I hope you enjoy them! Thanks Nikole!
Like you I always crave savoury flavours over sweet so rarely cook sweet stuff. This recipe is perfect for people like us though, the lack of eggs means that this recipe is easy to scale down.
The biggest difficulty I have with most sweet recipes is the size, it is usually just me and my wife and whilst neither of us have a sweet tooth we both hate waste. So if we cook 764 cookies then we must eat them before they get trashed 😉
These cookies would freeze very well too, Brian! Thanks for the comment!