Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Indulge in Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies, a harmonious blend of buttery shortbread, rich toffee bits, and crunchy pecans, optionally dipped in luscious dark chocolate. Perfect for holiday celebrations or a luxurious treat any time of the year!

Every time I bake these Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies, I’m transported back to my grandmother’s cozy kitchen. She was a master of shortbread, and her secret? “Love and patience,” she’d say with a wink. I remember one snowy afternoon, we decided to experiment by adding her favorite toffee candies and some pecans we had left over from a pie. The result was magical! As we dipped them in chocolate, laughing and making a mess, we knew we’d created a new family tradition. Now, whenever I miss her, I whip up a batch, and it’s like she’s right there with me, dusting flour off her apron and smiling.

Buttery Bliss: The use of cold, diced butter ensures a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes these cookies a decadent treat.
Crunchy Surprise: The addition of finely chopped pecans offers a delightful nutty crunch, contrasting beautifully with the cookie’s softness.
Caramel Delight: Toffee bits throughout the dough provide a sweet, caramelized flavor, elevating the cookie’s taste profile.
Versatile Elegance: Optional dipping in dark chocolate adds a touch of sophistication, making these cookies versatile for casual snacking or elegant gatherings.
Easy Customization: With options for additional toppings and a simple recipe, these cookies are perfect for bakers of all levels to add their personal touch.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter cold, diced into small cubes
⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine salt
2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
¾ cup toffee bits with additional for topping (optional)
½ cup pecans finely chopped, with additional for topping (optional)
10 ounces dark chocolate either chopped or in wafer form

Instructions

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cold, diced butter with the confectioners’ sugar. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy, ensuring to frequently scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
Add the vanilla extract and salt to the butter mixture. Gradually introduce the flour at a low speed, mixing until the dough just begins to form. Be cautious not to overmix.
Fold in the toffee bits and chopped pecans into the dough. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Form each portion into a log approximately 6 ½ inches in length and 1 ½ to 1 ¾ inches in diameter. To avoid air pockets and achieve a uniform density, compress the dough firmly. On a lightly floured surface, roll each log to the specified dimensions.
Wrap each log of dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the dough is sufficiently chilled.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the shortbread dough from the refrigerator. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, slice each log into 14-15 pieces, each being less than ½-inch in width. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 12-16 minutes, or until the edges start to turn a light golden brown.
Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Dipping (Optional)

If opting to dip the cookies in chocolate, melt the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Use the defrost setting for 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is completely melted.
Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, gently shaking off any excess. Place the dipped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle additional toffee bits or chopped pecans onto the chocolate before it sets.
Allow the chocolate to set fully, which may take approximately one hour at room temperature. For faster setting, the cookies can be refrigerated.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will remain fresh for up to 5 days. These cookies are also suitable for freezing.

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Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Recipe by Alexandra

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: All Word Recipes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 cup 1 unsalted butter cold, diced into small cubes

• ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon fine salt

• 2 cups 2 all-purpose flour sifted

• ¾ cup toffee bits with additional for topping (optional)

• ½ cup pecans finely chopped, with additional for topping (optional)

• 10 ounces 10 dark chocolate either chopped or in wafer form

Directions

• In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cold, diced butter with the confectioners’ sugar. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy, ensuring to frequently scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
• Add the vanilla extract and salt to the butter mixture. Gradually introduce the flour at a low speed, mixing until the dough just begins to form. Be cautious not to overmix.
• Fold in the toffee bits and chopped pecans into the dough. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Form each portion into a log approximately 6 ½ inches in length and 1 ½ to 1 ¾ inches in diameter. To avoid air pockets and achieve a uniform density, compress the dough firmly. On a lightly floured surface, roll each log to the specified dimensions.
• Wrap each log of dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the dough is sufficiently chilled.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the shortbread dough from the refrigerator. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, slice each log into 14-15 pieces, each being less than ½-inch in width. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 12-16 minutes, or until the edges start to turn a light golden brown.
• Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Chocolate Dipping (Optional)
• If opting to dip the cookies in chocolate, melt the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Use the defrost setting for 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is completely melted.
• Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, gently shaking off any excess. Place the dipped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle additional toffee bits or chopped pecans onto the chocolate before it sets.
• Allow the chocolate to set fully, which may take approximately one hour at room temperature. For faster setting, the cookies can be refrigerated.
• Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will remain fresh for up to 5 days. These cookies are also suitable for freezing.

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