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    Chocolate Dipped Pecan Shortbread Cookies

    Published: Dec 22, 2013 / 55 Comments

    28.3K shares
    • Facebook83
    Recipe Print

    Chocolate Dipped Pecan Shortbread Cookies - buttery and crumbly, these cookies are easy to make and easy to decorate. Just dip them in melted chocolate and then dip them again in pecan crumbs. Beautiful holiday cookies.

    Chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies recipe

    You might have noticed that I've been on a cookie marathon this month, posting 9 holiday cookie recipes in the month of December alone! Today's beautiful chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies might be my very last (10th!) Christmas recipe this season.

    Chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies recipe

    This is one of the best shortbread recipes I've encountered, and I am definitely adding it to my Christmas cookie collection.  Also, consider adding these holiday shortbread cookies to your Christmas cookie tray as well:

    • Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
    • Pecan Shortbread Cookies
    • Almond Shortbread Cookies with Amaretto
    • Chocolate Covered Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
    • Almond Crescent Cookies
    • Cranberry Noels

    Chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies recipe

    Tips for making perfect shortbread cookies

    A couple of tips on how to make sure the shortbread cookies come out the way they are meant to be:

    • For shortbread cookies, it's very important to measure the flour correctly. Don't pack flour into a measuring cup. Instead, fluff it up, scoop it into a measuring cup or sift it. If you don't, you might end up with an overly crumbly cookie dough.
    • Remember that it's a shortbread dough, so it's supposed to be reasonably crumbly but not so crumbly that it's impossible for you to roll it. You should be able to easily roll the dough into logs. Then, chilling these cookie dough logs in the freezer/refrigerator before slicing makes the job of slicing the cookies much easier!
    • Use serrated knife to slice the cookie logs to help avoid crumbling the cookie dough.
    • Before putting the cookies in the oven, make sure the oven is preheated to the right temperature.
    • Do not bake the cookies for too long - every oven is different, and your oven might bake these cookies faster than mine. Don't let your cookies get brown - a little brown around the bottom edges is OK. If they are baked just right, they are light and so tasty. Let them cool on a baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer cookies onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

    Chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies recipe

    chocolate covered pecan shortbread cookies
    4.86 from 7 votes

    Chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies

    These holiday Pecan Shortbread Cookies are buttery and crumbly and so easy to make.  To decorate, just dip the cookies in melted chocolate and then dip them again in pecan crumbs. Perfect addition to your Christmas cookie tray. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 40 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 cookies
    Calories per serving 139 kcal

    Ingredients

    Pecan Shortbread Cookies:

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 4 oz unsalted butter , room temperature
    • ⅓ cup white sugar
    • ½ cup pecans , toasted, finely ground
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Ingredients for Decorating:

    • 4 ounces dark chocolate , high-quality, such as Lindt, chopped
    • ⅓ cup pecans , toasted

    Instructions 

    How to toast and grind pecans

    • Toast pecans at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn – they burn easily. Cool them off completely.
    • To make finely ground nuts, place toasted pecans into food processor and process until finely ground.

    How to make pecan shortbread cookie dough

    • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and continue beating. Add ½ cup finely ground pecans and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt, then add mixed flour and salt to the creamy butter-sugar mixture. Do not overmix, just enough to combine all ingredients and form a cookie dough.
    • Shape dough into 4 logs of different thickness (to make cookies of different radius – large and small). Wrap each log in plastic wrap and put wrapped cookie dough in the freezer for 30 minutes, then in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

    How to bake shortbread cookies

    • Preheat oven to 325 F. 
    • After cookie dough has been in the freezer and in the refrigerator, unwrap plastic and slice each log into thin cookie slices. 
    • Place cookie slices on parchment-lined ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. 
    • Bake for about 15 minutes, don’t let the cookies get brown. After about 15 minutes of baking, let cookies cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

    How to decorate shortbread cookies

    • Melt chocolate in a small skillet over medium heat, just until chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
    • Using spatula, brush half of the cookie on one side only (no chocolate on the bottom of the cookie) and along the cookie side. Dip the chocolate side of the cookie into coarsely chopped pecans. Return to rack. 
    • If you like, you can leave some cookies just covered with chocolate, without pecan crumbs. You can also leave some cookies just plain (no chocolate, no pecans on top of chocolate). 
    • Repeat with remaining cookies.
    •  Let cookies dry on rack for at least 1 hour, for chocolate to harden.

    Notes

    The recipe is adapted from Epicurious

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Chocolate dipped pecan shortbread cookies
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    139
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    10
    g
    15
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    25
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    12
    mg
    4
    %
    Sodium
     
    16
    mg
    1
    %
    Potassium
     
    64
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    11
    g
    4
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    4
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    140
    IU
    3
    %
    Calcium
     
    9
    mg
    1
    %
    Iron
     
    1.1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword Christmas shortbread cookies, how to make shortbread cookies, pecan cookies
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Natasha @ The Cake Merchant

      January 02, 2014 at 10:45 am

      I love shortbread cookies, especially when pecans and chocolate are involved. Happy New Year, Julia!

      Reply
    2. Kayle (The Cooking Actress)

      January 01, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      yayy more cookies!! I love how gorgeous and delicious these look!

      Reply
    3. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl

      December 29, 2013 at 1:45 pm

      These shortbread cookies look delicious, love that chocolate dipped side on each, might just have to share these with friends and by share I mean eat the chocolate side on each of them. 😉

      Reply
    4. Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes

      December 28, 2013 at 5:15 pm

      I can never ever turn down a good shortbread cookie!!

      Reply
    5. Rachel Cotterill

      December 28, 2013 at 9:13 am

      These look perfect! And not just for Christmas, I think 🙂

      Reply
    6. Layla @ Brunch Time Baker

      December 28, 2013 at 8:49 am

      Amazing! Love these shortbread cookies! They are perfect for the holidays

      Reply
    7. Liz

      December 26, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      I LOVE all your cookies!!! And these shortbread look divine!!! Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

      Reply
    8. Daniela

      December 26, 2013 at 2:14 pm

      These cookies are so festive and elegant!
      Amazing recipe and amazing presentation.
      Merry Christmas to you, Julia!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 26, 2013 at 2:57 pm

        Thank you, Daniela!

        Reply
    9. Beth

      December 26, 2013 at 5:42 am

      What a wonderful variation on shortbread! I think shortbread is my favourite Christmas cookie, and yours look delicious.

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 26, 2013 at 2:57 pm

        Shortbread is my favorite, too!

        Reply
    10. Kammie @ Sensual Appeal

      December 25, 2013 at 1:57 pm

      Oh my, how beautiful are these?! Merry Christmas to you and yours, love.

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 26, 2013 at 2:58 pm

        Thank you, Kammie!

        Reply
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