These Butter Pecan Nuggets are small bites of buttery shortbread with a pecan half in the center of the dough. Topped off with a light glaze drizzle and some festive sprinkles, these are a great cookie to put out on your holiday cookie tray!
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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.
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.
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!
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📖 Recipe
Pecan Shortbread Cookies
These Butter Pecan Nuggets are small bites of buttery shortbread with a pecan half in the center of the dough. Topped off with a light glaze drizzle and some festive sprinkles, these are a great cookie to put out on your holiday cookie tray!
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Instructions
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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
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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.
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Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or til done. Remove and cool.
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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.
Nutrition
Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 32mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.4mgNet Carbohydrates: 10g
