Paula Deen Holiday Sandies

Paula Deen holiday sandies turn butter, finely chopped pecans and a splash of almond extract into a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie in about 1 hour 15 minutes. This easy make-ahead Christmas cookie fits the holiday table, cookie swaps and Sunday dinner, and the dough comes together in one bowl.

Bake the crescents low at 275°F for the full 45 minutes, because that slow heat dries them out and sets the tender, sandy crumb without browning. Crank the oven up to hurry them and you get dark, tough cookies instead of pale, delicate ones.

The recipe has you dust the cookies with extra confectioner's sugar while they are still warm, so the sugar melts in and clings like a snowy coat. Finely chopping the pecans keeps the dough smooth enough to shape into neat crescents that hold together.

Paula Deen Holiday Sandies

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

15

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

210

kcal

A buttery dough studded with fine pecans is shaped into crescents and baked low and slow until pale and tender. Rolled in confectioner's sugar while warm, they cool into a snowy cookie that crumbles the moment you bite it.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks softened Butter
  

• 1/2 cup plus extra for coating the baked cookies confectioner's sugar
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
  

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 275°F and line your baking sheets with parchment. That way the pans are ready when the dough is.
• Cream the butter: Add 2 sticks softened butter and 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth, then mix in 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract.
• Add flour and pecans: Slowly add 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour and mix until just combined. Then fold in 1 cup finely chopped pecans with a rubber spatula.
• Shape the crescents: Scoop the dough with a tablespoon measure so every cookie is the same size. With floured hands, roll each scoop and shape it into a crescent.
• Bake the cookies: Place the crescents about 1 inch apart on the parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes, until set and barely colored.
• Dust and cool: Dust the warm cookies with extra confectioner's sugar, which melts slightly and sticks. Cool them completely on wire racks, then store in airtight containers.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey pure almond extract. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different nut instead of pecans?

Finely chopped walnuts work well, since they have a similar richness and soft crunch. Chop them as small as the pecans so the dough still shapes into smooth crescents.

How long do holiday sandies keep?

Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they stay good for about a week. Layer them with parchment so the sugar coating doesn't rub off.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

You can mix the dough and chill it, wrapped tightly, until you are ready to bake. Let it sit out a few minutes before scooping so it is soft enough to shape.

Why bake the cookies at such a low temperature?

The low 275°F oven bakes them gently so the centers set without the outsides browning. That slow heat is what gives sandies their pale color and sandy, crumbly bite.

Why are my crescents falling apart when I shape them?

Dough that is too warm or too crumbly is the usual cause, so flour your hands well and press it firmly as you shape. If it still won't hold, chill the dough for 15 minutes first.