Delicious Pecan Sandies with a buttery shortbread cookie taste everyone loves and chopped pecans throughout. They are quick to make and you can roll them in powdered sugar to make Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowball Cookies.

A stack of homemade pecan sandies cookies.

Why I love these cookies:

  • Unique – They’re fun and different from the chocolate chip or sugar cookies people often bring to gatherings. They’re called Pecan Sandies because of their fine, sand-like texture that’s similar to a sweet and buttery shortbread cookie, with bits of chopped pecan throughout.
  • Pantry Ingredients – You likely already have everything on hand to make these homemade pecan sandies cookies.
  • Freezer Friendly – These are the perfect cookies to make ahead or freeze the dough, to ensure a fresh cookie is just moments away at all times.

Ingredients Needed:

A cookie sheet with the ingredients to make pecan sandies, including peacns, butter, flour, sugar and brown sugar.

How to make Pecan Sandies:

  • Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour, salt, and pecans and stir to combine. Chill for 20 minutes
Dough for pecan sandies mixed in a mixing bowl.
  • Roll into 1 ½ inch balls. Get a glass cup and wet the bottom of it slightly. Gently press the cookies using the bottom of the glass.
Pecan sandies dough balls on a baking tray.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Press a whole pecan on top while cookies are warm, if desired.
A dozen baked pecan sandies cooling on a wire cooling rack.

Recipe Variations:

  • Nuts: Feel free to swap out the pecans for walnuts, hazelnuts, or your favorite type of nut.
  • Snowball Cookies or Mexican Wedding Cookies: Roll cookie into dough balls (don’t flatten). Bake, then once cool enough to handle, roll each in powdered sugar.
  • Flat Cookies: If you like your Pecan Sandies flatter, skip the chilling step!

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Make the dough and chill in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To Freeze: These homemade pecan sandies may be frozen baked, but my favorite way to freeze Pecan Sandies is to scoop the dough balls and place onto a baking sheet as close together as you can but make sure they don’t touch. Freeze for about 30 minutes and transfer to freezer bags. Let thaw and bake as directed.

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Recipe

A stack of homemade pecan sandies cookies.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Chill Time 20 minutes
Total 45 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Cream butter and sugar.
  • Add vanilla and mix. Add flour, salt, and pecans and stir to combine.
  • Chill for 20 minutes. Roll into 1 ½ inch balls. Get a glass cup and wet the bottom of it slightly. Gently press the cookies using the bottom of the glass.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

Notes

Nuts: Feel free to swap out the pecans for walnuts, hazelnuts, or your favorite type of nut.
Snowball Cookies or Mexican Wedding Cookies: Roll cookie into dough balls (don’t flatten). Bake, then once cool enough to handle, roll each in powdered sugar.
Flat Cookies: If you like your Pecan Sandies flatter, skip the chilling step!
Make Ahead Instructions: Make the dough and chill in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezing Instructions: These homemade pecan sandies may be frozen baked, but my favorite way to freeze Pecan Sandies is to scoop the dough balls and place onto a baking sheet as close together as you can but make sure they don’t touch. Freeze for about 30 minutes and transfer to freezer bags. Let thaw and bake as directed.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 240IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. Can you toast the pecans (4 minutes in 350 degree preheated oven), let cool, and then use them in this recipe ? I toast pecans when I use them for Linzer Cookies or Tarts. Toasting makes the dough sweeter with a much nuttier intensity !

  2. 5 stars
    OMG – these taste so good and take so little time or skill to make. I used whole pecans and chopped right before mixing and I think that really helps the final product. Love it.

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