Slice and bake Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies

In France, slice and bake shortbread cookies are called "Diamants", which means diamonds. Simple butter cookies rolled in sugar are what they're all about. This butter pecan shortbread cookie recipe is my version of this classic French pastry treat. A buttery shortbread dough, filled with pecan nuts, shaped into logs later covered in egg wash and rolled in sugar, and finally sliced into small round pecan cookies. A super simple recipe that you are going to love and make on repeat.

Ingredient Notes

• You'll be using the usual pantry ingredients you already have at home (probably): butter, powdered sugar, salt, flour, eggs, vanilla essence.
• Sugar tips: Shortbread cookies can be made using brown sugar instead of powdered sugar. However, you should know the result will be a much chewier cookie due to the molasses found in brown sugar. Shortbreads are more on the flaky side of the cookie spectrum 😊.
• Pecan nuts
• Parchment paper: Use this to cover the dough once rolled as a cylinder and bake the pecan cookies.

How to make this recipe

Making these pecan shortbread cookies is straightforward.

• Make the cookie dough
• Shape the pistachio shortbread dough into a log
• Brush with egg wash and roll in a mixture of sugar and crushed pecans
• Slice the butter pecan cookies
• Bake the shortbread pecan cookies

Recipe Notes

• To soften butter, you can either leave it at room temperature for 1 hour before making the recipe or use the microwave at 10-second intervals, mixing in between to avoid pieces of butter melting.
• When making the dough in your stand mixer, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl before adding new ingredients to the mix.
• If you want to do the pistachio shortbread by hand, follow the same procedure shown in this video How to Make Almond Shortbread Crust.
• When shaping the pistachio shortbread into a log, make sure the dough is tightly pressed, so you avoid having a small hole in the middle of each cookie once they have been sliced.
• Divide the dough into two pieces and work with each one separately. It will be easier to work with this way.
• I recommend shaping the dough into a 4 cm diameter log. However, you can make it into a wider log and make bigger pecan shortbread cookies.
• To make egg wash, beat one egg, one egg yolk, and a pinch of salt. Then strain the mixture and set aside until ready to use. It can be made two days in advance and kept stored correctly in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Once the cookies have been sliced, pop the baking tray in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The cold will help these pecan cookies hold their shape.
• The baking time will depend on how thick you sliced the pecan cookies.

Can they be made ahead of time?

Yes, they can! You can prepare the shortbread cookie dough and keep it in the fridge shaped as a log for up to 2 days.

Then simply, roll the log in sugar and crushed pecans, slice and bake the cookies when you are ready to enjoy them!

Storage tips

Once they have completely cooled down you can keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you manage to make them last that long 😉.

Freezer instructions

You can either freeze the entire log of raw dough or the already sliced raw cookies:

• To freeze the log: Cover rightly in plastic or saran wrap twice. Then place in a freezer container or freezer bag. It keeps for up to 3 months.
• To freeze the sliced pecan shortbread cookies: Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and cover in plastic or saran wrap. They shouldn’t touch each other so space them out. Once they are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer container or freezer bag. They also keep for three months.

To defrost:

• The log: overnight in the fridge, then let come at room temperature for about 15 minutes before slicing and baking the shortbread pecan cookies.
• The sliced cookies: place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and keep at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking them.

Variations to this recipe

You can replace the pecans in this shortbread cookie recipe for any other nuts you like or have at home: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts. They will all taste delicious.

You can also add chocolate chips or chunks to the cookie dough: replace 1/3 of the pecans by the chocolate. It is a killer combination.