Pecan Shortbread from Pudge Factor

Pecan Shortbread - made dough October 16, 2023 from Pudge Factor

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (3 ounces) powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Add flour and mix on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Fold in toasted pecans with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
3. Transfer dough to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and place on a flat surface. Leaving the bag unsealed, roll the dough into a 1/4" thick rectangle that completely fills the bag. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough to avoid creases. Seal the bag and chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 2 hours or up to 2 days.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Place the chilled ziploc bag on a cutting board and slit open. Discard the plastic bag. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into squares. Transfer squares to lined baking sheets, spacing evenly. Prick each square with a fork. 
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. until edges are set. Remove from oven and let rest for several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.

Can you tell I'm working my way through a Costco-sized bag of pecans? Hence why I keep baking cookies with nuts in them.

Shortbread is one of the few cookies where I'm good with pecans in them or almonds or macadamias. Shortbread is usually flavored most by the butter but when you add nuts, it takes on the additional flavor profile of the nuts you use. I always, always recommend toasting whichever nuts you're using before adding them to the dough. Trust me, the flavor will be much better.

Shortbread is also one of the rare cookies where I don't recommend underbaking. You want to bake the shortbread long enough for the bottoms and edges to turn golden and the middles to start looking "dry" or very definitely not looking soft or shiny or wet. If you don't bake it long enough, you won't get the crisp snap of a good shortbread and the texture will be somewhere in texture purgatory of chewy but not crisp. Chewy is for other cookies. Shortbread should have a good snap.

I liked these cookies. I love shortbread anyway and these cookies delivered on that buttery flavor amped up by toasted pecans and a good snap and crunch in the texture. These are good for care packages as well as sharing at holiday parties. The visible presence of the pecans can also easily signal away anyone with nut allergies.