This Pecan Fingers Cookies Recipe is the ultimate holiday season favorite, perfect for adding a touch of sweetness to Christmas time.
These nutty fingers, similar to Mexican wedding cookies, are rolled in powdered sugar, creating a melt-in-your-mouth elegant and delicious treat!
I have been sharing some of my favorite Christmas cookies lately, and these pecan fingers cookies are truly one of the best.
Their buttery, nutty flavor makes them a delightful addition to any holiday cookie box.
What I love most about this recipe is its versatility—you can easily shape them into pecan crescents or roll them into pecan snowballs, similar to Russian tea cakes, for a beautiful variation.
These cookies are simple, festive, and perfect for the holiday season!
Ingredients
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for the best flavor and control over the salt content. Make sure it is softened (room temperature) for a smooth, creamy dough.
- Pecans: Break the pecans by hand into a mix of small and big pieces to maintain a lovely texture in every bite. Avoid pulsing or finely chopping, as it can lose the satisfying crunch.
- Sugar: The recipe uses sugar in the dough for subtle sweetness. Finish the cookies with a generous coating of powdered sugar for a festive look and extra sweetness.
- Salt: A small pinch balances the flavors and complements the buttery and nutty notes beautifully.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat softened unsalted butter and sugar together until combined. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, this should take about 2-3 minutes. (images 1 and 2)
Add the vanilla extract and mix it into the butter and sugar mixture (image 3).
Gradually add the all purpose flour and salt, folding until the dough begins to come together. Be careful not to overmix (image 4).
Stir in the broken pecans until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. (image 5)
Take about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and shape dough by rolling it into a 5-6 cms log shape (or finger-like shapes). Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. (image 6)
Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Keep an eye on them to avoid overbaking.
Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, just until they are warm but not hot. (image 7)
While still warm, gently roll the cookies in powdered sugar to ensure it sticks, coating them evenly. (image 8)
Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing.
Enjoy your freshly baked, sweet-coated pecan fingers!
Storage Instructions
To store pecan fingers cookies, follow these instructions:
- Cool Completely: Ensure the cookies are completely cool before storing to prevent condensation inside the container.
- Airtight Container: Place the cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh. You can layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Room Temperature Storage: Store the cookies at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or heat.
- Freezing: If you want to store them for a longer period, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature for a few hours or warm them in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for a few minutes.
Enjoy your cookies anytime with these easy storage tips!
Best Tips
- Room temperature butter will mix more evenly with the sugar, creating a better texture in the dough. The reason for this is that when the butter is softened, you won't need to spend too much time combining it with the sugar, which means less air is incorporated into the dough. This helps prevent excessive spreading while baking, resulting in firmer, more structured cookies.
- For the best texture, use broken pecans instead of finely chopping or pulsing them in a food processor. The mixture should have both small and larger pieces of pecans, allowing you to enjoy their nutty crunch in every bite. Avoid using ground pecans as it will change the texture.
- Overmixing the dough can lead to tough cookies, so stop as soon as the dough holds together. To avoid overmixing, use a spatula to gently fold in the flour rather than using a hand mixer.
- Dust the cookies with powdered sugar while they are still warm, but not too hot. This helps the sugar stick without melting or clumping.
- Allow your cookies to cool completely before storing them. Storing warm cookies can cause condensation, making them soggy and causing the powdered sugar to dissolve.
- If you want a variation, you can easily form dough into pecan crescent cookies or pecan sandies for a beautiful and delicious twist!
Frequently Asked Questions
It's best to use unsalted butter in this recipe, as it allows you to control the amount of salt in the dough. If you only have salted butter, reduce the amount of salt you add to the dough.
Yes, you can substitute pecans with other nuts like walnuts or almonds. Keep in mind that the texture and flavor of the cookies may vary slightly, but they will still be delicious.
If your cookies spread too much, it could be due to warm butter, overmixing the dough, or the dough being too soft. Make sure to use room temperature butter and handle the dough gently. If the dough is too soft, you can chill it for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Absolutely! You can add a dash of cinnamon, almond extract, or even a bit of maple syrup to enhance the flavor. Just be mindful of not overpowering the nutty pecan taste.
Mexican wedding cookies are typically round and have a more powdery texture, while pecan fingers are shaped like logs with visible chunks of pecans, giving them a more textured bite. Both are rolled in powdered sugar, but pecan fingers are lightly dusted, whereas Mexican wedding cookies tend to have a heavier coating.
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Pecan Fingers Cookies recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla
- 1.5 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup (60 gms) Pecans
- 1/2 cup Icing Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until just combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Avoid overmixing to prevent incorporating too much air, which can cause the cookies to spread.
- Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Gradually add the all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt. Use a spatula to gently fold the flour into the mixture just until a dough forms.
- Break the pecans by hand into a mix of small and large chunks for the perfect nutty texture. Fold the pecans into the dough until evenly distributed. Avoid using ground pecans or a food processor, as this will alter the texture.
- Take small portions of dough, about 1 tablespoon, and roll them into 5-6 cms long fingers. Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Watch closely to avoid overbaking, as the cookies should remain tender.
- Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, just until they are warm but not hot. While still warm, gently roll each cookie in powdered sugar to ensure the sugar adheres evenly.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Butter: Use softened butter at room temperature for an even dough. Avoid melted butter, as it will cause the cookies to spread excessively.
- Pecans: Breaking the pecans by hand ensures small and large chunks for the best texture. Do not use finely ground pecans.
- Shape Options: You can shape the dough into pecan crescent cookies or small
- Butter: Use softened butter at room temperature for an even dough. Avoid melted butter, as it will cause the cookies to spread excessively.
- Pecans: Breaking the pecans by hand ensures small and large chunks for the best texture. Do not use finely ground pecans.
- Shape Options: You can shape the dough into pecan crescent cookies or small pecan sandies for a variation in your cookie box.
- Powdered Sugar: Roll the cookies in powdered sugar while warm for better adherence. Avoid cooling them completely beforehand.
- Texture Tip: Gently fold in the flour and pecans to prevent overworking the dough, which keeps the cookies soft and tender.
- for a variation in your cookie box.
- Powdered Sugar: Roll the cookies in powdered sugar while warm for better adherence. Avoid cooling them completely beforehand.
- Texture Tip: Gently fold in the flour and pecans to prevent overworking the dough, which keeps the cookies soft and tender.
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