Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 18 (about) pecan halves

Steps

1. Use a processor to finely grind the toasted pecans and sugar, then blend in flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using on/off turns until a coarse meal forms. Add cream and vanilla, and process in on/off turns until moist clumps appear. Gather into a ball and flatten to a disk. Lay waxed paper on the work surface and lightly sprinkle it with flour. Centre the dough disk on it and cover with a second sheet. Roll to 1/4- to 3/8-inch thickness and cut cookies with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Move to a large baking sheet. Gather and reroll the scraps to cut more cookies. Press 1 pecan half into each centre, then refrigerate the cookies for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F and bake until the cookies are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack. They can be made 2 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature.