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Pecan Shortbread Cookies are easy to make shortbread bars that are freezer-friendly, rich and soft and full of chopped toasted pecans. You can bake them soft or crunchy – bakers choice – and everyone who tries them absolutely loves them!
BEST Pecan Shortbread Cookie Bars
Pecan Shortbread Cookies are a classic shortbread cookie bar that taste like pecan sandies. The base cookie is soft and buttery – almost like a blank canvas that you can change with different mix-ins, pecans in this case.
Toasted pecans are mixed into the dough, and they add the most wonderful flavor and texture. They’re better than Walker’s shortbread recipe – I can promise you that! Each bite practically melts in your mouth!
Shortbread can be shaped in all different ways – sometimes, you see them as round slices or cut into various shapes with cookie cutters. I think the easiest way to make them is in a baking dish, so they’re easy to slice into bars. Plus – you can make these soft shortbread or crunchy, depending on how you like them.
Ingredients Needed
- Chopped Pecans: The main flavor secret is toasting the nuts. When you toast nuts, the natural oils are released, and they take on a nuttier flavor. Those oils get into the cookie dough, flavoring it even more. Learn how to toast nuts easily.
- Butter: Start with softened unsalted butter for easy mixing. If using salted butter reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar. I know some shortbread recipes call for powdered sugar but we’re using cornstarch as well, so that would be too much.
- Cornstarch: This is a cornstarch shortbread recipe. Not all recipes call for this, but I like it because cornstarch gives the cookies a nice, soft texture.
Variations
- You can use powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) in place of the granulated, if needed.
- Want to turn these into slice-and-bake pecan shortbread cookies? Just roll the dough into a log, chill, then slice and bake on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Mix and match your add-ins – you can use any kind of nut or even chocolate chips.
- Make chocolate dipped shortbread with the bars after they cool!
How to Make Pecan Shortbread
- Toast the pecans in a small skillet – don’t walk away or they might burn. Allow them to cool
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed. You can do this with a hand mixer or with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, salt, and cornstarch and mix to combine. Slowly add the flour.
- Mix in the toasted pecans and then press the dough into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake the bars at 350°F until no longer glossy on top, baked through, and light golden brown on top.
Crunchy vs Soft Shortbread
I love a soft shortbread cookie recipe, but if you prefer a crunchy pecan shortbread cookie recipe, all you have to do is bake them a little longer. Soft bars bake in 25-30 minutes and crunchy bars take up to 35 minutes.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- No chilling time needed for this shortbread recipe!
- There are no eggs in this recipe – making it a traditional shortbread.
- Pecan shortbread dough should not be crumbly – as you can see it’ll be a cohesive cookie dough. If it’s crumbly chances are you need to mix it longer. Add the flour slowly so it easily incorporates into the dough.
Pecan Shortbread Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180g) chopped pecans
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup (134g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place pecans in a small frying pan and heat over medium low heat, stirring often, until toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Don’t walk away or they’ll burn – as soon as you smell them they’re done. Remove from pan to a plate to cool completely.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Mix in vanilla, salt, then cornstarch. Slowly mix in flour until combined, then stir in toasted pecans.
- Press dough into a thin layer in prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes for soft-baked or up to 35 minutes for crunchy.
- Cool completely before slicing into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Excellent recipe for nutty melt-in-your mouth shortbread that is very easy to make. My Mom & I made several kinds of Christmas cookies, then last minute decided to try these with our extra ingredients. This was the big hit, and the favourite. Absolutely try it! Thanks for sharing.
I was wondering what the best way to defrost these was, thanks
Just on the counter in an airtight container – they’ll htaw just fine.
Hi Dorothy! I’m excited to try this for my Xmas trays. I do have a question, though.
Is it better to chop the nuts before or after toasting, or does it matter?
Thanks, from a cool 32°F Alberta, Canada morning!
It doesn’t matter – I find it easier to toast whole nuts though (less small bits to accidentally burn).
It’s better to toast whole nuts and then chop afterward. The natural oils of the nuts will come out and thst is wear all the flavor comes from. It will blend with the other ingredients and pump up thst toasted pecan flavor!This works for any kind of nuts. Going to make these soon and dip one side into milk chocolate!
Love these pecan bars this recipe is a keeper!
OMG I made these today and just wanted to say thank you for recipe. Absolutely delicious I could have eaten the whole pan (I didn’t though).
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