These buttery shortbread pecan sticks are tender, and calmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. They bake right into a golden shortbread base with pecans pressed on high for a candy, nutty crunch.
Buttery shortbread pecan sticks are a easy, calmly spiced deal with that falls someplace between a cookie and a bar. The bottom begins with the identical buttery dough you’ll discover in my almond chocolate shortbread bars, however with the nice and cozy flavors I really like in my cinnamon shortbread.
In case you benefit from the nutty taste of my butter pecan fridge cookies, you’ll love this recipe much more as a result of there’s no shaping or chilling, simply press the dough right into a pan and bake. This nutty shortbread recipe pairs fantastically with easy classics like my 3-ingredient shortbread cookies for a straightforward vacation cookie tray.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A melt-in-your-mouth texture. Tender, buttery shortbread with a comfortable pecan crunch that looks like the proper combine between a cookie and a bar.
- Straightforward to make. No rolling or chilling. Simply press the dough into the pan, bake, and slice into easy shortbread cookie bars.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides these pecan sticks their traditional shortbread construction.
- Heat spices: A pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg provides that cozy spiced shortbread taste with out overpowering the buttery dough.
- Butter: Softened butter is crucial for a real simple shortbread recipe. Unsalted is greatest, however when you use salted butter, skip the added salt.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar retains the feel mild and crisp reasonably than chewy, supplying you with extra of a buttery pecan cookie chew.
- Vanilla: A contact of vanilla rounds out the flavour and enhances the toasted pecans.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans create a crunchy pecan topping as they toast within the oven, including simply the correct quantity of nuttiness.
- Milk: Brushing a small quantity on high helps the pecans stick and provides these slice-and-serve cookie bars a calmly golden end.
Find out how to Make Buttery Shortbread Pecan Sticks
To begin, whisk collectively the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Subsequent, in a stand mixer or giant bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla till mild and creamy. Slowly combine within the dry elements simply till mixed, don’t over combine or the shortbread cookie bars can turn into dense.
Switch the shortbread dough to a sq. pan lined with parchment paper and press it into a good, compact layer. Brush the highest with a little bit milk, then sprinkle the chopped pecans over the floor. Gently press them in so that they stick and create a toasted pecan topping.
Bake till calmly golden.
Let cool within the pan for about 10 minutes, then use the parchment to elevate the pecan shortbread out of the pan to chill fully on a wire rack earlier than slicing.
recipe Suggestions
- Don’t overmix the dough. As soon as the dry elements go in, combine simply till mixed. Overmixing could make shortbread dense as an alternative of tender.
- Examine for mild golden edges. Shortbread shouldn’t get too darkish. Pull it from the oven when the highest is calmly golden and the perimeters look set.
- Press the dough evenly. Use the again of a spoon or your fingertips to flatten the dough right into a easy, even layer so the pecan shortbread cookie bars bake uniformly.
- Gently press within the pecans. Frivolously urgent them into the floor retains the pecans in place as soon as baked and sliced.
- Cool fully earlier than slicing. Shortbread companies up because it cools. Chopping too early could cause it to crumble as an alternative of supplying you with clear, neat sticks.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips. For a chocolate twist, fold mini chocolate chips into the dough like my chocolate almond shortbread cookies.
- Swap the nuts. Attempt pistachios for a colourful, nutty model impressed by my pistachio shortbread cookies.
- Need one thing gooier? In case you’re craving extra of that pecan-pie taste, strive my pecan pie cookies.
- Add a drizzle. End with melted chocolate or a easy vanilla glaze for a sweeter, dessert-style bar.
With their tender crumb and toasted pecans, these shortbread cookie sticks are a scrumptious twist on a traditional favourite. One chew and also you’ll see why they disappear so shortly in the course of the holidays.
- 1 cup all goal flour
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ½-1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt (when you use unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon salt)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½-¾ cup chopped pecans
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Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Line an 8 inch / 20cm sq. pan with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl whisk collectively the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.
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Within the stand mixer or giant mixing bowl beat the butter, sugar and vanilla for two minutes on medium pace, step by step beat within the flour combination, beat till mixed, don’t over combine.
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Switch the dough to the ready pan and press evenly within the pan. Brush the highest with milk and and sprinkle with the pecans. Gently press the nuts into the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes or till golden. Cool 10 minutes within the pan, then elevate out with the parchment paper and let cool fully on a wire rack.
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Minimize into slices and serve. Get pleasure from!
Find out how to retailer the Shortbread Pecan Sticks?
Retailer the shortbread pecan sticks in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 4–5 days. They keep crisp and buttery when stored well-sealed. Freeze the baked and cooled bars in a sealed container or freezer bag for as much as 2 months. You’ll be able to both freeze the entire pan or lower into sticks, flash freeze then retailer. Thaw at room temperature.
Energy: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fats: 6g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 2g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.3mg | Phosphorus: 17mg
recipe FAQs
No, there’s no want to relax the dough for this recipe. The shortbread bakes greatest when it goes straight into the oven after being pressed into the pan.
Retailer the shortbread pecan sticks in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 4–5 days. They keep crisp and buttery when stored well-sealed.
Sure. Freeze the baked and cooled bars in a sealed container or freezer bag for as much as 2 months. You’ll be able to both freeze the entire pan or lower into sticks, flash freeze then retailer. Thaw at room temperature.
As soon as cooled, you possibly can slice them into traditional “sticks,” small bars, and even bite-sized squares relying on the way you’d prefer to serve them.
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