Pecan sandies are buttery, crumbly cookies built on toasted pecans ground straight into the dough, with a whole pecan pressed into each one. Slice-and-bake logs mean neat, bakery-perfect rounds with almost no effort. Thirty-two cookies that taste far richer than their humble ingredient list suggests.
MAKES 32 COOKIES
Ingredients
2 cups (480 ml) pecans, toasted
⅔ cup palm sugar
1½ cups almond flour
¼ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (180 ml) refrigerated coconut oil, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk
Preparation
1.В В Reserve 32 of the prettiest pecans for garnishing the cookies. Process the remaining 1½ cups pecans with the palm sugar in a food processor until the nuts are fully ground (about 20 seconds). Add the flour and salt and process to combine (about 10 seconds).
2.В В Add the coconut oil pieces and process until the mixture resembles damp sand and rides up the sides of the bowl (about 20 seconds). With the mixer running, add the egg yolk and process until the dough comes together into a rough ball (about 20 seconds).
3.В В Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide into two equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a six-inch-long log about two inches thick. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about two hours.
4.В В Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
5.В В Working with one log at a time, slice dough into half-inch-thick cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about one inch apart. Gently press a pecan half in the center of each cookie. Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown (20 to 25 minutes), switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking.
6.В В Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Pro Tips
- Toast all the pecans and reserve the prettiest thirty-two halves for the tops — the toasted flavour is what separates these from ordinary nut cookies.
- Grind the pecans with the palm sugar until fully ground; leaving chunks makes the cookies crumble apart when you slice the logs.
- Chill the logs the full two hours. Warm logs squash under the knife and the cookies bake up misshapen instead of neat rounds.
- Slice to a true half-inch thickness with a sharp, thin knife and press the pecan gently — too deep and the cookie splits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze the dough logs?
Yes — wrap tightly and freeze up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then slice and bake as usual.
What makes sandies so crumbly?
The high nut and fat content with a single egg yolk for binding. That delicate crumb is the whole charm — handle cooled cookies gently.
Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?
You can, though pecans are sweeter and more buttery. If using walnuts, toast them well to tame their slight bitterness.
How should I store pecan sandies?
Airtight at room temperature for a week. They're sturdy enough to travel, which makes them excellent holiday gifts.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Reserve 32 of the prettiest pecans for garnishing the cookies. Process the remaining 1½ cups pecans with the palm sugar in a food processor until the nuts are fully ground (about 20 seconds).
- Add the flour and salt and process to combine (about 10 seconds). 2. В В Add the coconut oil pieces and process until the mixture resembles damp sand and rides up the sides of the bowl (about 20 seconds). With the mixer running, add the egg yolk and process until the dough comes together into a rough ball (about 20 seconds). 3. В В Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide into two equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a six-inch-long log about two inches thick.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about two hours. 4. В В Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325°F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 5. В В Working with one log at a time, slice dough into half-inch-thick cookies.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about one inch apart. Gently press a pecan half in the center of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown (20 to 25 minutes), switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. 6. В В Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
