Description
Georgia OKeeffes Pecan Butterballs are delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookies featuring rich butter, toasted pecans, and a hint of vanilla. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a sweet afternoon treat, these buttery pecan delights combine a tender crumb with a light dusting of powdered sugar for added sweetness and charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans (toasted for enhanced flavor)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional
- 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture, ensuring a smooth base for the cookies.
- Add Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated, providing a warm, aromatic flavor to the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, finely chopped toasted pecans, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms without overmixing.
- Form Dough Balls: Using your hands, roll the dough into small balls approximately 1 inch in diameter, then place them spaced evenly on the prepared baking sheet to allow room for slight spreading.
- Bake: Bake the dough balls in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bottoms turn lightly golden, indicating that they are perfectly baked but still tender inside.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Sugar Coating: Once cooled, gently roll each cookie in the additional powdered sugar for a sweet finishing touch that enhances both flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Toasting pecans before chopping brings out a richer nutty flavor and improves texture.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that measures cup-for-cup.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.
- Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar while still slightly warm can create a more uniform coating.
- Use room temperature butter to ensure better creaming results and tender cookies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: pecan butterballs, pecan cookies, buttery cookies, holiday cookies, easy baking, vanilla pecan cookies
