eat make read

Last week I posted a recipe for homemade peanut butter and it got my wheels turning. I mean, homemade peanut butter is like magic, but what about other nuts? Pecans are my favorite sort, which made me think of pecan butter, which then led to pecan butter cookies. And if you’re making a cookie, why not throw in a little chocolate. That’s how pecan butter cookies were invented.

Sure there’s an extra step involved, making pecan butter, but come on, it’s not that hard. A few minutes in the food processor and you’ve got yourself some tasty pecan butter, just be careful not to eat it all before you make the cookies. Once the pecan butter is made, these puppies are a snap to make. After the dough comes together, you roll little balls of it in sugar for added fanciness. You could even top each cookie with a pecan, which would look pretty cute, but I was being stingy with my pecans so I didn’t do that.

After about 10 minutes in the oven, the cookies were perfectly golden and sparkling with sugar. I waited until I couldn’t wait anymore, which was about 3 minutes, to try one. I recommend you try do the same, because these are like a little piece of heaven straight out of the oven. They’re crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, which if you ask me is the perfect cookie structure. The best part is, even when they cool they keep that texture. But the flavor, mmmm, the flavor. The pecan butter isn’t as strong as peanut butter is, but it’s got a rich, slightly sweet flavor that just kind of melts in your mouth. With the addition of the dark chocolate chips, it’s like a glamourous party in your mouth. The kind you don’t want to end.

pecan butter:
makes about 1 cup

2 cups pecans
1 T honey

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Pecan Butter Cookies
makes about 4 dozen cookies
adapted from these peanut butter cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup pecan butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

+ sugar to roll the dough in, about 1/2 cup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make pecan butter:
1
Combine pecans and honey in the bowl of a food processor and blend for about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the pecans from the bowl a few times.

To make the cookies:
1
In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
2
In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and the pecan butter together until fluffy.
3
Add the sugars and beat until smooth.
4
Add the egg and mix well.
5
Add the milk and the vanilla extract.
6
Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.
7
Stir in the dark chocolate chips.
8
Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork or your finger (for a simpler look), lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies.
9
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.