Buttery, crumbly and nutty, these hearty pecan shortbread update a classic and are the perfect accompaniment to a cuppa at any time of day.
servings
24
total time
4 hrs (inc. chilling)
great for
entertaining
suitable for
vegetarian
behind the scenes
Get Nutty with Some Pecan Shortbread
Buttery, crumbly and nutty; nothing goes better with a cuppa than these Pecan Shortbread.
They may sound simple but let us tell you, they pack a punch! In fact, these shortbread may even have me turning down a choccy biccy which is virtually unheard of!!
Seriously, I’m not joking! Shortbread I can take or leave and a pack of them will often last months in my pantry while other biscuits barely make it home from the supermarket…but these shortbread are different!
There’s something about the addition of pecans which elevates this classic and can convert shortbread skeptics into full on fans.
Looking for more Christmas food inspiration? Click here to see our other recipes.
You’ll be glad to know that the dough for these comes together very quickly and the majority of time needed for this recipe is for chilling.
That being said, the chilling time is very important because of the high butter content –without chilling the dough both before and after rolling, you run the risk of the butter melting out of the biscuits and ending up with some shortbread-esque pancakes!
So, do not skimp on the chilling time –unless shortbread pancakes are your thing of course!
These shortbread are packed with festive flavors, substantial enough for when you need a hearty biscuit after a winter walk and require minimal effort –what could be better?!
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Pecan Shortbread
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter softened
- 75 g caster sugar
- 75 g light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g plain flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 100 g pecans chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl add the flour and the salt, whisking together to ensure fully combined.
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and fully incorporated, 1-2mins. Add the vanilla essence and mix to combine.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mixing between each addition.
- Once the flour is fully incorporated, add the chopped pecans and mix until just combined; be careful not to overmix or the shortbread will become tough.
- Divide the mixture in half and shape each half into a disc, approx. 1” thick. Wrap each disc in cling film and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Once chilled, remove the discs from the refrigerator and allow to come to temperature for 3-4mins. Meanwhile, line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper.
- Roll one of the discs out to 1/4” thick. Cut out your shortbread using the cookie cutter of your pleasing!
- Place the cut-out biscuits onto the baking tray, approx. 2” apart as they will spread a little during baking. Cover the baking tray with cling film and return to the refrigerator for 20-30mins. Repeat with the second disc and re-roll any scraps of dough a maximum of one time.
- While the cut-out shortbread are chilling, preheat the oven to 180C. When ready, place the shortbread in the oven for 15-18mins until they are beginning to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking tray for 5mins before moving to a cooling rack.
- Will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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Fabulous. I sliced the rolls and didn’t bother with rolling out and using cutters. They went straight in the oven and were deliciously light shortbread- save a lot of time!