Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (2024)

ByCarolUpdated

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Pecan Sandies cookies dipped in powdered sugar just melt in your mouth. The ingredients are simple. Butter, flour,sugarand pecans.

Adding the chopped pecans is just enough crunch to make these shortbread cookiesirresistible.

Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (1)

Pecan Sandies have been my favorite Christmas cookie for as long as I can remember. I look forward to making them each year. I could make them at other times but I don’t think it would be the same. You know what I mean? It is my cookie tradition for Christmas.

I have always called them Pecan Sandies but then I found that they are also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes and Snowballs. I tried to research why there are so many names for this delectable little cookie but apparently no one seems to know for sure. It is irrelevant any way. Love, love these little shortbread cookies.

Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (2)

Pro Tips

  • Use softened butter
    • I always, and I mean always recommend setting your butter out till it is room temperature. Softened butter incorporates much better with sugar. The end result is so worth the extra time you took. Just remove the butter from the fridge an hour or so before you want to bake. Then go find something else to do. But don’t forget you took the butter out.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (3)
  • Real vanilla
    • I wholeheartedly believe in using real ingredients. Yes, they cost more but the taste will make all the difference. Vanilla lasts a long time. So splurge. It is worth it.
  • Toasting pecans
    • This is an extra step but to bring out the real flavor in pecans, they should be toasted. Go ahead and toast them in a pan for a few minutes. Then chop them up. I use my mini chopper to chop my pecans. My mini chopper is my best bud in the kitchen.
  • Do not grease cookie sheets
    • One year I made the mistake of using a non stick baking sheet on top of my cookie sheet. Oh, my. Did those cookies ever spread! Lesson learned. Do not grease or use any type of silicone baking sheet to place the cookies on. They will not be little balls anymore but flat little shortbread cookies.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (4)
  • Roll cookies by hand
    • I use a cookie scoop to help me make sure all my cookies are uniform in size. I scoop out the dough into my hand and roll it into a smooth ball. They bake better this way.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (5)
  • Chill the cookie dough
    • Chilled cookie dough makes a better cookie. They don’t spread and the flavors have a chance to meld together. Let the cookie dough chill for about 30 minutes before you roll into a ball. The warmth of your hands will help to mold those little dough balls.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (6)
  • Bake till just the bottoms are golden
    • You don’t want the cookies on top to be brown, just the bottoms. Do not over bake.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (7)
  • Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar
    • Don’t cool your Pecan Sandies cookies completely before you roll them into powdered sugar. Warm cookies make the powdered sugar melt which results in oh so much scrumptiousness! Take my word on this one. You could roll them a second time after they have cooled for a prettier presentation.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (8)

How To Make Pecan Sandies Cookies

Making these cookies is a simple process. I love any recipe that is easy.

  1. Beat the softened butter and sugar till fluffy. You could do this by hand but a stand mixer or hand held mixer makes this part incredibly fast.
  2. Mix in the water and the vanilla extract.
  3. Add the all purpose flour and chopped pecans. Mix till just combined.
  4. Chill the dough for thirty minutes. This is important so that the cookies do not spread.
  5. Shape the dough into balls of about the same size. This ensures they all bake evenly.
  6. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
  7. Bake at 350 ℉ for twenty minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
  8. Let cookies cool slightly then roll in powdered sugar.
  9. Roll in powdered sugar a second time when cooled for the maximum in taste.
Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (9)

Enjoy these awesome traditional Christmas Pecan Sandies cookies. Think I’ll go have one now with a cup of coffee!

Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (10)

Pecan Sandies Cookies

Carol

A delightful shortbread cookie stuffed with chopped pecans. Coated with a layer of powdered sugar.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

chill 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup pecans (chopped)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar till fluffy. Add the water and the vanilla extract. Stir till combined.

  • Add all purpose flour and chopped pecans. Mix till combined.

  • Chill dough for 30 minutes.

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.

  • Shape dough into 1 inch balls.

  • Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

  • Bake in 350° F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottoms.

  • Roll in powdered sugar when warm to the touch. Roll in powdered sugar a second time when cooled.

Notes

Edited to add 2 teaspoons of water to original recipe.

Keyword cookies, holiday baking, holidays, pecan sandies

Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (11)

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  1. One of my favorite cookies! I just love the powdered sugar on them!

    Reply

  2. Yum yum, I can almost taste the melt in your mouth goodness from here!

    Reply

  3. This is exactly my grandma’s recipe, but I grew up calling them butterballs or snowball cookies!

    Reply

  4. It’s been a while since I’ve made these… I’ll have to give your recipe a try!

    Reply

  5. These are definitely my favorite Christmas cookies. I made some this year, and they are so easy to just pop into your mouth. It’s hard to eat just one!

    Reply

  6. Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (15)
    Thanks for this recipe. After a move across country, I couldn’t find my old original recipe for this delectable Christmas cookie. Yours was a Godsend as no other searches came up with the real deal. I can now start my Christmas cookie baking with confidence.

    Reply

    1. Moving can be hard especially when trying to find your stuff.
      I make these cookies every Christmas with fond memories. Thanks for the lovely comment! Happy Baking!

      Reply

  7. Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (16)
    I grew up with these cookies but the Yugoslavian families that lived on the point called them pigtails they rolled them looking like a little finger so my mom called them finger cookies and this is the exact recipe my question is I made mine today 15 December if I keep them in my refrigerator will they be all right for Christmas

    Reply

    1. Hi Hazel,
      Those are lovely memories.
      I have never stored cookies for that length of time so I don’t have any personal experience to offer. These cookies are eaten so quickly at my house. 🙂

      Reply

  8. Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (17)
    This is my new favorite Christmas cookie. Rich but not too sweet. Perfect.
    Quick question. Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

    Reply

    1. Hi Elle,
      I use salted butter and haven’t noticed the cookie to be too salty. So glad you love this cookie. It’s my favorite, too!

      Reply

  9. Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (18)
    This is the recipe you must remember to save and bake at least at Christmas time. Being able to make these jewels over the holidays and share with others is pretty. And they always turn out perfect and delictable. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. I totally agree! Glad you love this recipe, too!

      Reply

  10. I like this recipe and followed it to the tee but my mix is really powdery and doesn’t hold shape. Am I to mix milk or a little more butter to give it consistency?

    Reply

    1. It is a dry mixture. If it is too powdery, add 2 teaspoons of water. It is very important to chill for 30 minutes so you can shape it. Hope this helps. I have added the addition of water to the recipe. Thank you for your feedback.

      Reply

  11. Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (19)
    These are delicious! I was looking for something close to what my mom has made and this is it!

    Reply

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Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe With Powdered Sugar (2024)

FAQs

Why do my pecan sandies fall apart? ›

If your mixture seems too dry (it falls apart after being pressed together) you can add in up to 1 T. water.

What does powdered sugar do to the texture of cookies? ›

Powdered sugar has a much finer texture and a higher cornstarch content, which can absorb moisture and lead to a drier, crumbly cookie texture. If you use powdered sugar in place of granulated sugar, you'll likely end up with cookies that are more cake-like and less chewy.

Who made the original pecan sandies? ›

The Keebler Company mass-produces and markets Sandies Classic (plain), Pecan, and Cashew shortbread cookies. Keebler first purveyed Sandies cookies in 1955 and added a toffee variety in 1993.

How do you make peanut butter cookie dough less crumbly? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

What is another name for pecan sandies? ›

According to Pastry & Baking Arts Chef-Instructor Norma Arellano-Salazar, these popular cookies are also called snowballs or pecan sandies on the East Coast of the United States, as they resemble snow or sand thanks to their powdered-sugar dusting. Some even refer to them as Russian tea cookies.

What happens if I use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar in cookies? ›

All levels of powdered sugar grind can be used interchangeably with each other in cookie recipes. But take note: powdered sugar is not to be substituted for granulated sugar or brown sugar, since the added cornstarch in powdered sugar changes cookie chemistry and texture.

How much granulated sugar is equal to 1 cup of powdered sugar? ›

Generally, it's recommended to use 1 cup of granulated sugar for 1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar. A more accurate (and easier) way to substitute the sugars is based on weight, not volume. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of powdered sugar (4 ounces, or 113 grams), you should use 4 ounces of granulated sugar.

What happens if you put too much baking powder in sugar cookies? ›

Too much baking powder can cause the batter to be bitter tasting. It can also cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse. (i.e. The air bubbles in the batter grow too large and break causing the batter to fall.) Cakes will have a coarse, fragile crumb with a fallen center.

What is the difference between sandies and shortbread? ›

A simple, 5 ingredient cookie, Pecan Sandies are essentially a pecan shortbread. With a texture that melts away in your mouth and a rich buttery, nutty flavour, these cookies are so easy to make. Pecan sandies are essentially a buttery shortbread filled with finely chopped pecans.

What are the ingredients in Keebler Pecan Sandies? ›

ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN MONONITRATE], VITAMIN B2 [RIBOFLAVIN), FOLIC ACID), SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL, SUGAR, PECANS, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SALT, EGGS, BAKING SODA, VANILLA FLAVORING, WHEY, SOY LECITHIN.

Why are sandies called sandies? ›

The sandy is a type of sugar or shortbread cookie plus crunchy pecans. These cookies are named after their crumbly texture. They have a sandy or breadcrumb-like texture when the flour and butter are mixed together.

Why does my pecan pie fall apart? ›

My pecan pie puffs and then falls.

Like the pumpkin pie, the filling will crack if the pie is over-baked or cools too quickly. But unlike pumpkin pie which has pumpkin puree to give it structure, pecan pie filling is mostly just sugar, corn syrup and eggs, so the tendency to soufflé and fall is even greater.

Why are my peanut butter cookies crumbling and falling apart? ›

Why are my cookies dry and crumbly? This is most likely a classic case of using too much flour. It's crucial to properly measure the flour in this recipe, as even 1 extra tablespoon of flour can completely change the structure of the cookies. You also might have over baked them!

Why is my pastry falling apart? ›

Adding too much fat and overmixing or adding too little liquid can make the pastry crumbly. It is vital to weigh ingredients carefully and handle the dough gently.

Why are my cookies dry and falling apart? ›

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

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