PECAN COOKIES!

 Todays recipe was inspired by National Pecan Cookie Day.  Yes, really.

I love a good cookie.  I typically dont like cookies with nuts, but for pecans I make an exception.   I love a good sandy, but these are different. They arent your typical hard shortbread cookies, they are thick and chewy with a great, buttery pecan treat.

Make sure your nuts are fresh. I actually keep my nuts in the freezer, so when I bake with them they dont get mealy.

BEFORE YOU START:  You will need to sautee your pecans in butter to brown them and really get a great flavor! 

2 cups Chopped Pecans 

2 TBSP butter.  

in a saucepan over medium heat, start to brown the butter. Add pecans and toss to coat, and keep cooking until toasted .

COOKIES:

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/4 cups AP flour, sifted.

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp good vanilla

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In mixer on medium speed,  cream butter, and both sugars together. Do this for about 2 minutes or until butter and sugars are nice and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla and continue to mix for another minute. 

reduce speed a little and  Gradually add the dry mixture a little at a time, mixing well between each addition.   Fold in your toasted pecans, incorporating throughout the dough evenly. wrap and chill.

(Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

using a cookie scoop, roll dough into balls (about 3 to 4 TBSP) and place on cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden.  Any jiggle in the middle is acceptable, they will firm up a little with cooling.  Let cookies sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes so they dont rumple up when you try and remove them. Transfer to a cooking rack.

Cool completely and keep in airtight container.

 ENJOY!!