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Recipes

Brown Butter Pecan Shortbread

By Janet Fletcher

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 32 cookies

Ingredients

1

cup pecans, toasted

1

cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

2

cups sifted all purpose flour

1

/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1

/2 cup sugar

1

teaspoon vanilla extract

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Grind pecans in processor until coarse meal forms. Melt 1/2 cup butter in small skillet over medium heat. Cook until dark amber, stirring often, about 6 minutes (do not burn). Pour through fine strainer into small bowl. Chill just until firm, about 1 hour.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 300°F. Whisk flour and salt to blend. Using electric mixer, beat brown butter, 1/2 cup butter, and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Beat in vanilla, then nuts. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed just to blend.

    Step 3

    Transfer dough to sheet of parchment paper. Form dough into rectangle. Place second sheet of parchment paper over dough. Press or roll dough into 12x8- inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of parchment. Transfer dough on parchment to baking sheet. Using fork, pierce dough all over, spacing 1 inch apart.

    Step 4

    Bake shortbread until golden brown and firm to touch, about 55 minutes. Leaving shortbread on baking sheet, cut lengthwise into 8 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into quarters. Cool 10 minutes on sheet on rack. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

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