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Pecan sandies are pure sandy shortbread: pecans ground with palm sugar into a rich, buttery dough, sliced into rounds and crowned with a toasted pecan half. They bake until the edges turn golden and the house smells like pralines. Simple, classic, and impossible to improve on.
Pro Tips
- Reserve the 32 prettiest pecan halves for garnish before grinding the rest. That is how you get the classic look.
- Process the nuts with the palm sugar first until fully ground. Uneven nut pieces make the log crumble when you slice it.
- Use refrigerated coconut oil cut into pieces. Cold fat is what gives the dough its sandy, shortbread texture.
- Chill the logs 2 hours until firm, then slice a half-inch thick and press a pecan half gently into each round.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are golden, cool 3 minutes on the sheet, then finish on a rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my sandies crumbly?
The dough needs a full chill to hold together, and the pecans must be ground fine. Handle the cold log gently with a sharp knife.
Can I use another nut instead of pecans?
Walnuts or almonds work, but pecans are what make a sandie a sandie. Toast whatever nut you choose first.
How do I store pecan sandies?
Airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days. Their sandy texture actually improves after the first day.
Are pecan sandies paleo?
Yes. Pecans, almond flour, coconut oil, palm sugar, and egg yolk: grain-free, dairy-free shortbread.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
