Best 9 Sweet And Salty Pecan Shortbread Recipes

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In the realm of delectable treats, there exists a culinary masterpiece that tantalizes taste buds with its harmonious blend of sweet and salty flavors: sweet and salty pecan shortbread. This delectable confection combines the rich, buttery texture of shortbread with the sweet crunch of pecans and a sprinkle of salt, resulting in a delightful symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, this article will guide you through the steps of creating this irresistible delicacy, providing you with the perfect recipe to whip up a batch of sweet and salty pecan shortbread that will impress your family and friends.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

SALTED PECAN SHORTBREAD SQUARES



Salted Pecan Shortbread Squares image

My shortbread squares are the ultimate go-to for cookie trays and gift-giving. The buttery caramel and toasted nuts make it tough to eat just one. -Diana Ashcraft, Monmouth, Oregon

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 50m

Yield 4 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 14

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
FILLING:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 13x9-in. baking pans with foil, letting ends extend up sides of pan., Place flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. Divide mixture between prepared pans; press onto bottom of pans. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack., For filling, melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips, cream and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans. Spread over crusts., Bake 12-15 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Cool completely in pans on wire racks. Using foil, lift the shortbread out of pans. Gently peel off foil; cut each shortbread into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 201 calories, Fat 14g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 70mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (13g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.

SWEET AND SALTY PECANS



Sweet and Salty Pecans image

We love this recipe when made with pecans, but any firm nuts, such as cashews or walnuts, will work well.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Healthy Recipes     Gluten-Free Recipes

Time 30m

Yield Makes 4 cups

Number Of Ingredients 5

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Coarse salt
1 pound pecans (4 cups)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Stir together sugar, cream, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add pecans, and stir until well coated. Spread pecans on baking sheet in an even layer.
  • Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until browned and toasted, 20 to 22 minutes. Sprinkle pecans with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let cool.

PECAN SHORTBREAD



Pecan Shortbread image

Made in 1 bowl without eggs or leavening, this pecan shortbread is soft yet dense with crisp crumbly edges. We'll use the simple slice and bake method, which helps guarantee thick cookies. No rolling pin required!

Provided by Sally

Categories     Desserts

Time 4h

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup (2 sticks; 230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (100g) finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup (50g) coarse sugar (I prefer this one)
1/4 cup (32g) finely chopped pecans

Steps:

  • In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt, then beat on low speed until combined. Beat in the chopped pecans. The cookie dough may look like it won't come together, but keep beating- I promise, it will! The cookie dough will be thick.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide or cut into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter. The measurements don't have to be exact. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours and up to 5 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I prefer to chill mine for 4 hours or even overnight- the colder the dough, the thicker the cookies.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  • You can actually roll the logs before or after chilling them. Mix the coarse sugar and chopped pecans together on a large plate. One at a time, roll the log into the mixture. Press it down so the nuts and sugar stick to all sides.
  • Slice each log into 12 equally thick cookies and place cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.

PECAN SHORTBREAD



Pecan Shortbread image

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     dessert

Time 1h5m

Yield 20 to 24 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 7

3/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups small diced pecans

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter/sugar mixture. Add the pecans and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut into 2 1/2-inch squares with a plain or fluted cutter (or cut into any shape you like). Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

SWEET AND SALTY PECAN SHORTBREAD



Sweet and Salty Pecan Shortbread image

Categories     Cookies     Side     Bake     Pecan     Raw

Yield makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2-inch cookies

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/3 cup demerara or turbinado sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top

Steps:

  • Cream the butter, natural cane sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon and beat until light and fluffy (see Know-how, page 315). Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla until evenly incorporated. Slowly add the flour on medium speed or with a wooden spoon, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times, just until all the flour is incorporated; do not overmix. Add the pecans and stir to mix.
  • Turn the dough onto a piece of wax paper or plastic and roll into a 2-inch round log about 12 inches long. Combine the demerara sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and stir to mix. Sprinkle the log evenly with the demerara sugar mixture and roll the log back and forth to adhere. Wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until firm.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
  • Cut the dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on the baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with demerara sugar and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, shifting racks and rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve, or for up to 4 days.

CARAMEL PECAN SHORTBREAD



Caramel Pecan Shortbread image

My grandchildren look for Grandma's "candy bar cookies" every Christmas. I recommend doubling the recipe for these sweet treats because they go so fast. -Dorothy Buiter, Worth, Illinois

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 45m

Yield about 4 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 19

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
FILLING:
28 caramels
6 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
ICING:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pecan halves

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in milk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut into 2x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 325° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, combine caramels and milk in a large saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter, sugar and pecans. Cool for 5 minutes. Spread 1 teaspoon over each cookie. , For icing, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips and milk; stir until smooth. Stir in the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. , Spread 1 teaspoon icing on each cookie; top each with a pecan half. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 126 calories, Fat 7g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 61mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.

SALTY-SWEET BUTTER PECAN COOKIES



Salty-Sweet Butter Pecan Cookies image

OMG delicious! Addictive! The salty-sweet with the pecans and butterscotch is just the best! Found it on the King Arthur Flour site. The recipe noted - "If you're making smaller (teaspoon cookie scoop-sized) cookies, increase the coating to 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar mixed with 1 3/4 to 2 teaspoons salt." Nice tips at the site too (like chilling versus not chilling dough & more or less salt) - http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/salty-sweet-butter-pecan-cookies-recipe . Adding to my recipes so as to never ever lose this one! UPDATE - made these for Christmas platters - OMG, they are soo good -crunchy, sweet, salty & pecan toasty! We got 111 cookies from this batch having made them teaspoon-sized - perfect for Christmas platters. Will stick with the 1/2 teaspoon of butter-nut flavor we wimpily opted to use - it was perfect for our tastes.

Provided by Busters friend

Categories     Dessert

Time 44m

Yield 4 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 1/3 cups pecan halves
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon butterscotch extract (vanilla-butternut & butter-rum flavor fine too)
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur Unbleached)
1 1/3 cups butterscotch chips
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for topping
1 -1 1/4 teaspoon salt, for topping

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
  • Place the pecans in a single layer in a pan, and toast till they've darkened a bit and smell toasty, about 8 to 9 minutes. Set them aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, espresso powder, baking soda, vanilla, flavor, and vinegar, beating until smooth and creamy.
  • Beat in the egg, again beating till smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
  • Mix in the flour, then the chips and toasted nuts.
  • If you're going to refrigerate the dough, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for about 4 to 5 hours; or overnight. Cookie dough refrigerated for 3 1/2 to 4 hours will spread moderately; chilled overnight, it will spread much less.
  • Mix the 1/3 cup sugar and salt for the coating, and put it in a bowl. To bake cookies immediately (without refrigeration), use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/2" balls of dough into the sugar/salt mixture, rolling to coat. Then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them on all sides; they'll spread quite a bit. Or use a teaspoon cookie scoop to scoop 1 1/4" balls of dough.
  • Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes - 11 minutes for smaller cookies, 12 for larger ones. Their edges will be chestnut brown and their tops a lighter golden brown. (For dough that's been refrigerated, add 30 seconds to 1 minute to those baking times.) Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pan till they've set enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the remaining dough.

SPICED PECAN SHORTBREAD



Spiced Pecan Shortbread image

Melt-in-your-mouth shortbread made with brown sugar and pecans. An absolutely wonderful recipe, and EASY too!

Provided by SILVERLOTUS

Categories     Desserts     Nut Dessert Recipes     Pecan Dessert Recipes

Time 30m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, and baking powder. Mix in the butter using a fork until well blended. The dough will be flaky and separated. Stir in the pecans, and press into an 8 inch square pan.
  • Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned on the top. Cut into squares while still warm, but do not remove from the pan. Allow to cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 216.9 calories, Carbohydrate 20.8 g, Cholesterol 30.5 mg, Fat 14.4 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 2.1 g, SaturatedFat 7.6 g, Sodium 89.8 mg, Sugar 8.3 g

PECAN SHORTBREAD



Pecan Shortbread image

This pecan shortbread - crumbly, salty and buttery, with a touch of cardamom - is delicate in flavor but sturdy enough in structure for a dessert on the go, ready for picnics or potlucks. Make this easy shortbread a day or two before you need it. After slicing, store the pieces in a tightly closed cookie tin. They're lovely alone, just out of the tin, but you can augment them with a bowl of cherries, nectarines and peaches, or ice cream, if you wish.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     cookies and bars, dessert

Time 1h

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 1/2 cups/340 grams salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
3/4 cup/160 grams granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 1/2 cups/448 grams all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups/179 grams toasted, chopped pecans
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter, sugar, vanilla and cardamom in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  • Carefully add flour and pecans, and mix a few minutes more, at low speed at first, then medium, until dough comes together. Remove dough and knead for 1 minute. Press dough into a 9-inch square cake pan. (Alternatively, press into a 9-inch fluted French tart pan with a removable bottom.)
  • Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares, bars or wedges with a serrated knife while still slightly warm. Store in a tin until needed. To serve, arrange on a plate and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Tips:

  • For the perfect shortbread texture, use cold butter and work it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Chill the shortbread dough for at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent it from spreading too much in the oven.
  • To achieve a golden brown color, brush the shortbread with an egg wash before baking.
  • For a sweet and salty flavor combination, sprinkle the shortbread with flaky sea salt before baking.
  • For a nutty flavor, add chopped pecans to the shortbread dough before baking.
  • To add a touch of sweetness, drizzle the shortbread with honey or maple syrup before serving.

Conclusion:

These sweet and salty pecan shortbread cookies are a delicious and easy-to-make treat. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a batch of these mouthwatering cookies that are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're enjoying them as a snack, dessert, or gift, these shortbread cookies are sure to be a hit.

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