“Cookies are made of butter and love.”
Chocolate Pecan Shorties
Originally I was going to call this recipe, "Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Squares," but after numerous attempts I came to the realization that I was too inept to form the cookies into squares or even something resembling squares. My wife was responsible for naming them Shorties saying that they really weren't traditional shortbread so Shorties seemed perfect!
Obviously this recipe is derived from, and inspired by, my already published Pecan Shortbread Fingers; it was also adapted from Homemade Chocolate Shortbread on The Vanilla Bean Blog.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Assemble the ingredients including two large mixing bowls. Cut up the two sticks of butter into slices and place them in the larger bowl to soften. In the smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.
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Allow the butter to soften for about 20-30 minutes and then add the sugar. Using a mixer at medium speed, mix the butter and sugar until creamy.
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Beat in the vanilla and then the egg. At a low speed gradually add in the flour mixture and continue to beat until blended. Add the cocoa and continue beating several more minutes.
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Using a large spoon, stir in the pecan pieces.
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Over wax paper and using your hands, shape the dough into a long brick measuring approx. 2-inches by 2-inches by 2-feet.
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Slice the brick into two 1-foot pieces.
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Using plastic wrap, completely cover and seal the two bricks. Refrigerate 2 to 6 hours, or even overnight, until firm enough to slice.
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Just before the bricks come out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet. Ready several cooling racks.
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Unwrap the brick and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the brick crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. (See Notes)
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Place the slices on the cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
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Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest for a few minutes.
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Using a spatula, carefully move the warm cookies to a wire rack to cool. Make additional batches with the remaining dough.
Serving Size 1 cookie
Servings 96
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 41kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 3g5%
- Saturated Fat 1g5%
- Cholesterol 7mg3%
- Sodium 15mg1%
- Potassium 10mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 4g2%
- Sugars 1g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
The time listed as "rest time" is actually "refrigeration time" but the recipe template wouldn't allow me to list it correctly!
I have used both a stand mixer and a hand-held mixer to beat the ingredients for this recipe. Either works but I prefer to use the hand-held which I think is more convenient but most people will tell you less effective. Regardless, the choice is yours.
By the time you get to step four to stir in the pecan pieces you are going to find the now thick batter a little difficult to stir. I typically re-wash my hands and manually knead the pecans into the dough. This is gooey and messy but it is easy to wash away and I think it is more effective.
Size of slices ... try to cut the slices of hardened dough to about 1/4-inch but don't worry if several are a bit larger at 3/8ths-inch, just try not to make them any smaller than 1/4-inch. The finish baked cookie should be just about 1/4-inch but 3/8th-inch is okay because both will bake in the same about of time but anything thinner might overcook.
Here's a photo of our Easter 2024 dessert ... everyone really enjoyed it!
