Pecan Shortbread

Sometimes a classic is so simple that when you taste it, you know it’s PERFECT.

Nick Malgieri developed this cookie at the New York Restaurant School in 1981 when we worked together. The students ran a restaurant and served petits-fours at the end of meals. I personally polished off way too many of them, and even came to work early to gobble one or two left from the previous day while I had my first cup of coffee. They are melt-in-your-mouth terrific. With his permission, I share the recipe here and in my cookbook. Thanks, Nick.

5 from 2 votes

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Ingredients

1 ¼ lbs unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
½ tbsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 ½ cups flour
4 cups chopped pecans 1 ½ lbs.
confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

Process:

Cream butter, sugar and salt in electric mixer
Add 1 tbsp water and the vanilla
Add the flour slowly and when fully incorporated mix in the pecans by hand
Wrap in plastic, as 2”x10” logs and chill or freeze

To Bake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Slice the cold dough into ¼” disks OR roll into 1-inch balls and set on baking sheets
Bake 10 minutes (disks) - 15 minutes (balls) and check to see the underside is golden – DONE!
Roll in confectioners sugar to serve.