Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Buttery. Crisp. Nutty. These maple pecan shortbreads melt in your mouth and are the perfect sweet and salty addition to any holiday cookie box!
Shortbread cookies are one of my favourite cookies to make over the holidays. Combining a tried and trusted buttery shortbread dough with maple and roasted pecans creates a rich, delicately sweet cookie that will fill your home with the most beautiful and comforting aromas!
Let’s make some Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies!
1. Start by Preparing the Dough!
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and then slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter. As soon as a dough is formed, stop the mixer (the less mixing for this dough – the better!)
Add the maple and vanilla extracts and mix briefly to incorporate (the dough will be soft).
Slowly add the flour until the dough is evenly mixed and resembles a sandy/shaggy texture.
Add the toasted, finely chopped pecans to the dough and mix until evenly dispersed.
Shape your dough into a large ball and place onto a clean work surface that has been lightly sprinkled with flour. Cut dough into 2 equal parts.
Roll/shape each part into a log ~10″ long that is ~2″ in in diameter.
In a small bowl, combine the maple sugar and chopped pecans. Spread the sugar and pecan mixture over your clean work surface and roll the logs in the mixture until both logs are coated.
Wrap each individual log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Time to bake our Maple Pecan Shortbreads!
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchement paper.
Remove your logs from the fridge and cut each into 1″ slices.
Arrange the cookies onto your baking sheets.
Bake for ~12-15 mins (or until golden brown around the edges and firm to the touch).
Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely!
Enjoy!
Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
Shortbread Dough
- 1 1/2 cup Butter unsalted, softened
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar measured by spooning into a measuring cup and levelling off the top with a knife
- 2 tsp Maple Extract
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 cup Flour Non-bleached, All-purpose, measured by spooning into a measuring cup and levelling off the top with a knife
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup Pecans toasted, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Maple Pecan Topping
- 1/4 cup Maple Sugar
- 1/4 cup Pecans toasted, finely chopped
Instructions
Step 1 – Preparing the dough
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter. Mix until mixture appears evenly combined.
- Add the maple and vanilla extracts and mix briefly to incorporate. The dough will be soft. Slowly add the flour until the dough is evenly mixed and resembles a sandy/shaggy texture (note: I first add 3 cups of flour, then you can add an additional 1/2 cups if the dough is still sticky).
- Add the finely chopped, toasted pecans to the dough and mix until evenly dispersed.
- Shape dough into a large ball and place onto clean work surface. Cut dough into 2 even parts. Roll/shape each part into logs that are ~10" long and ~2" in in diameter. Shape dough into 2, logs, ~10" long log that is ~2" across (note: you can also make these into rectangular "logs" as I note that 1 side often get compressed in the fridge during the chilling step)
- In a small bowl, combine the maple sugar and chopped pecans. Spread the sugar and pecan mixture over your clean work surface and roll the logs in the mixture until both logs are coated.
- Wrap each individual log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 2 – Baking
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Remove your logs from the fridge and cut each into 1/2" slices.
- Arrange onto baking sheets, spaced ~ 1" apart, and bake for ~12-15 mins or until slightly golden on the surface and firm to the touch.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely!
Notes
- This cookie dough can be made up to 4 days in advance!
- Simply make the dough, and store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container until ready to use.
- If using a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25F. Cookies may bake 1-2 minutes quicker than the recipe calls for (For me – these cookies convect baked at 325F for 12 minutes)
- These cookies freeze really well! You can store them, well wrapped in the freezer (cling film/press and seal wrap + freezer bag) for up to 4 months.
- Want to make these Cookies Gluten-Free? You should be able to easily replace the flour called for in this recipe with a 1:1 Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour substitute!
I am preparing to make the cookie dough this morning and have a question. What is the icing on your finished cookies – I don’t see it mentioned in the instructions after baking. Thanks!
1″ slice must be an error.. Most probably, 1/2″ slice, correct?
Also, the spacing of slices on the baking sheet is not included in the baking instructions.
Hi there, thank you so much for your comment! You are absolutely right – these shortbreads are best cut into 1/2″ slices and the spacing, is about 1″ between cookies (note: these cookies do not expand much so even closer together will work). I have updated the recipe to include those details! Thanks again for bringing this to my attention and happy baking! – Sofia