PECAN SANDIES are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and loaded with pecans. They’re not too sweet, which makes it so easy to just keep popping them in your mouth…absolutely delicious!
My husband recently tagged along with me to the grocery store. This never happens.
Mostly because back when the kids were younger we would all go to the store together and I’d end up getting all stabby halfway through because he would get the kids all riled up.
Children are meant to be quiet and walk at a respectable pace and never once make loud screechy noises while at the grocery store. That’s just the law. I didn’t write it, but I do my best to adhere to it.My husband? Huh uh. He thinks the grocery store is his own personal playground and he runs around the kids in circles, taunting them, pushing them, picking on them, teasing them, and turning them into maniacs.
Anyway, we went shopping together and the man grabbed a package of Pecan Sandies off the shelf.
HOW DARE HE BUY PACKAGED COOKIES?
Obviously, I felt as though I was failing as a wife and I immediately came home and set to whipping up some homemade pecan sandies for the man. I showed him whose boss, you guys.
Y’all, these are good. Soft on the inside, that crunchy crispy crackly thing going on the outside thanks to the little roll in sugar before baking, and of course, they’re loaded with buttery pecans. Heaven!
How to make this pecan sandies recipe:
You’ll start by beating together butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.
Beat in some egg and vanilla and then mix in the dry ingredients.
Once your dough has come together, add in your chopped pecans and give it a good mix.
Roll the dough into 24 equal sized balls and then roll each ball in a bit of granulated sugar. This makes the best crispy, crackly coating on the outside of the cookies!
These bake in just 12 minutes, no need to chill the dough or anything.
Let’ em cool before you start popping them in one by one. They’re not overly sweet, which makes it really easy to just sit and eat the whole batch. Ask me how I know. 😉
More favorite cookie recipes to try:
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Rolo Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Confetti Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pecan Sandies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Slowly add to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Stir in the pecans.
- The dough will be somewhat sticky, but roll it into 24 small balls and roll each ball in sugar.
- Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet 1 inch apart (they don't spread much at all) and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges are golden.
- Cool on wire racks.
Nutrition Information:
adapted from allrecipes.com
This post was originally published in October 2012. It was updated with new photos November 2019.
Cookbook Queen says
So when I saw this recipe in my reader I thought “Oh, look!! My mother in law’s favorite cookies!! ”
Then I saw what you said about AARP. So yes, you are correct. However, they ARE quite tasty, I do have to agree.
Also, my husband does the same thing with my kid. OR he will say he’s coming to help but then they go off to look at hunting equipment and return just in time to add like fifty things to the cart that I know they will never eat.
Karly says
@Cookbook Queen,
Best for the boys to just stay at home and leave us be with our grocery shopping.
Alison says
My roommate had these delicacies sitting around the kitchen. I was hungry & all it took was one bite before I realized I’d scarfed down, oh, quite a few. I don’t know where you get your information, but these are definitely not just for the AARP crowd, as she and I were only 21! Of course, NOW we’re both of AARP age (56). We’re no longer roommates (35 years), but I imagine these sandies are still wonderful. It’s almost as tho’ we did things in reverse. Bottom line, I plan to bake these & just relive my youth thru “YUM”! Thanks for the memory. Alison
Emily B says
I disagree that these are old people cookies!! I LOVE them and have been eating them since I was little… That may or not be because my dad ate them. And ok… he may have been like really old to me when I was like 6. And now he’s totally in AARP.
Damn.
Anyways… I totally love these cookies and I can’t wait to make them at home.
Oh and I totally age myself a year, especially the closer it gets to my birthday. It’s not on purposed but it happens.
Jackie says
My grandma always has a package of these when I go over to her house so I too have always thought of them as “old people cookies”. But, I love them (and so does my husband and daughter) and because my grandma always has them they are a comfort food to me! Can’t wait to make some!
Karly says
@Jackie,
Enjoy!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
31, 30, 89… age is but a number not assigned to a prepackaged cookie, young grasshopper. Okay, so my grandma TOTALLY stockpiled these cookies all.the.time when I was a kid and I grew up loving them. SOWHAT. I was 7 going on 79 and uh, still have the habits (early bedtime, like soap operas, eat dinner at 430) to prove it. Also, I can NEVER shop with anyone else. Even my own parents drive me insane while we’re shopping.
Jocelyn says
I have to admit I have never eaten one of these cookies, even though I saw them all the time at my grandpa’s house. But since you are such a young chicken I am taking your word on this and I will try one the very next time I see an open package…or I’ll just make my own because I bet those taste a whole lot better than the package!!!
Karly says
@Jocelyn,
Try one from the package and then make this recipe. The homemade version is so much better!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Love that you have a perhaps new-fave cookie! The brown sugar makes me instantly want to try them b/c the flavor is just awesome I bet with the pecans. Mmmm!
shelly (cookies and cups) says
Yeah, old people know their cookies. These look yummy.
Karly says
@shelly (cookies and cups),
Good point. If the old people like it, it’s probably good. Then again, old people drink a lot of prune juice and I don’t think I’d go for that. (You should know that it’s taking all my strength to not make a joke about how actually, yeah, I would “go” for that.)
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
It’s totally ok to like grown up cookies! These sound lovely!
Joni says
I take offense at the “these cookies are for AARP members”. : ) I’ve loved these little bites of goodness for years, and I’m “only” 42! By the way – they are delicious crumbled up on chocolate ice cream.
I will definitely have to try your recipe – they look fantastic.
Karly says
@Joni,
Nooooo! Now I have to make another batch just for ice cream!
Teresa says
They are like old people cookies but they are liked by all people. However, they are best seved as crust for French silk pie! I had an old boyfriend that made that for me just because sometimes. Yummmmm!
Karly says
@Teresa,
Do what now?? Pecan Sandies as crust for pie? You’re a genius.
Katie says
Love pecan sandies! And I’m only 34! 🙂
Jen @ Savory Simple says
I loved these cookies when I was younger! I totally forgot about them but you’ve inspired me. MUST MAKE.
Joanne says
I once went grocery shopping with my boyfriend and he dared to buy a JAR of tomato sauce. FOR SHAME. I threw a fit. Nuff said.
Freshly made cookies are always better than storebought. Truth. And I DO like pecan sandies…even though I’m only 25.
Karly says
@Joanne,
Please don’t yell, but I almost always buy jarred pasta sauce. I’m a bad girl.
Anna says
Husbands at the store! UGH. My husband does price comparison on the things I’ve been buying for eleven years now. Duh, I know the Kroger mac and cheese is cheaper than the blue box. Quit, already. And yet, I still take the kids, too.
I LOVE Pecan Sandies. My first thought was “NO, YOU DI-N’T” but I’m pretty sure I’ve already said that here. But yeah, pretty much like everyone else, the cookies were always at my granpa’s house, but I loved them.
susan says
My husband does all the shopping these days. I can’t remember when he brought home store bought cookies . . . Like you I love to cook. And as for the age thing, I’ve been borrowing on the next year since I turned thirty. It gives me a chance to deal with the reality of yet another year so it doesn’t sneak up on me. Now I’m way past 30 and I have to think about what year it is and do the arithmetic!
Riley says
I’ve always been 85 on the inside! No shame when I eat these pecan sandies!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Ohmygod I love these cookies! I haven’t bought a package of Pecan Sandies forever…and miss them. Too funny how guys are at the grocery store. My dad was the same way. I don’t think my husband knows where ours is…
Melissa says
I love pecan sandies, I dare not buy them because I will eat them all. I blame my mom, who is now indeed old and has been old my entire life, since she was 37 when I was born. And coincidently I am 37 today. But I think I have always been old: I’m I bed by 9, I like my lunch promptly at noon, dinner at 5, love me a good game show. Been like that my whole life. I am making these tomorrow and I can’t wait!
Karly says
@Melissa,
I’ve always been old, too. Nothin’ wrong with that. 🙂
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
If loving old people cookies is wrong then I don’t wanna be right 😉
nicole @ I am a Honey Bee says
your grocery store story cracks me up. I shop on my own but because my BF likes to take off with the cart or push it through the store at break neck speed and i can’t keep up with sorting coupons and picking things out. So then I get stabby.
beautiful cookies.
Karis's Kitchen says
My grandmother always had Keebler Pecan Sandies in her cupboard when we visited, and I too associate them as being old people cookies…but delicious old people cookies!
Maria says
No lie…the day after I read this, I went to visit my parents and surprise…pecan sandies were sitting on their counter. I had a good laugh and told them about this post.
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
Just like monster cookies, I feel like pecan sandies are seriously underrated!!! While they do remind me of my grandmother, I have to say – the way they melt in your mouth, the chunky pecans, and butter texture…. they are irresistible. I’ve never made them myself though. Adding them to my to-bake list!! Oh and Kevin knows he’s not allowed to buy packaged cookies – it breaks my heart!!!
June g. says
Lol! I feel the same way about pecan sandies, my dad would always bring them home. Along with maple pecan ice cream;) yours look yummy! I still refuse to go into Chico’s or Coldwater Creek…no offense to anyone who likes these stores;)
Kathy says
hahah, exactly my reaction to buying packaged cookies too! These look great 🙂
Shasta says
Just made these and they are wonderful. A nice treat that isn’t too sweet, but just right. I’m sure I will be making these many more times. Thanks for a great recipe!
Rose Mary Green says
I’ve been thinking of these cookies for more than 45 years. A kind neighbor of my parents store would give us these cookies as children! I think these are the ones I’ve dreamt about. I am going to make your recipe for Christmas! thank you
Karly says
Oh goodness, I hope they live up to your expectations! 🙂