If you are like me you probably spend a lot of time in your kitchen cooking and baking this time of year. I know some of my recipe cards only get taken out of my recipe box once a year, during the Holidays. The thing about baking cookies, especially Christmas cookies, is that from the time you bake them until the time that you are enjoying them with your family, they are full of memories. Memories from your childhood when you use to bake them with your mother and memories of loved ones who you enjoyed them with during the Holidays who are no longer with us.
As I sat in quiet (nap time 🙂 ) the other day making a cookie to do list in my head, an image of my late grandmother popped in my head. I really loved my father’s mother. She actually lived with us for a short while when I was little. She wasn’t doing well and could no longer live on her own. My mother helped take care of her and it was nice to have her around.
I don’t have too many memories of her when she lived at her own house, but I have a few. One of them is how she loved those cookies called Pecan Sandies. She would sometimes watch my brother and I when my father went to work. He would stop at the store before he dropped us off to pick up a few snacks and a little something for her. He often bought her a package of Keebler’s Pecan Sandies. I remember that package sitting on her kitchen counter and I remember him advising her to only have a few because she was diabetic. Of course, my brother and I always enjoyed a few too.
Because I had been thinking about her, I decided to make my own Pecan Shortbread Cookies in addition to my normal Christmas cookies this year. These simple cookies are buttery, nutty and delicious. I used a pretty snowflake cookie cutter to cut them out and they are going to look so pretty on our table this Christmas.
If you are looking for a tasty cookie to give as a gift or just to make for your own family, this one is perfect! They also freeze well if you decide to make them ahead of time or to store them.
My grandma’s birthday is December 26, the day after Christmas. When I was little I thought that was so special because it was right after such an important day! I still think it is. I always think of her this time of year and I miss her.
I wish she could still be here with all of us and see my family now. So this little cookie is my tribute to her and her love of these cookies this Holiday. I think she would have really enjoyed them too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup pecans, chopped very fine (I use my food processor)
Instructions
- Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla and flour in your Kitchen Aid Mixer until the dough gets crumbly.
- Add the finely chopped pecans and mix until a dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a ball with your hands and then flatten into a disc shape.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- On a floured surface, carefully roll dough out to 1/2 inch.
- Cut dough into your desired shape.
- Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet on a cooling rack for a while to avoid any cracking.
- Makes about 2 dozen cookies depending on the size you cut them.
- Enjoy!
- *To freeze, cool completely and store in a freezer friendly container or bag.
*Linking up a Living Well Spending Less, Simply Gloria
[…] children are off all week for Winter Break and it will be so much fun baking some of our favorite Christmas Cookies with them. Because I’ve been listening to Christmas Music and really getting into the […]