Butter Pecan Cookies

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I have another cookie recipe for you this week (If you missed last week’s recipe for Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, you can find it here.) and it’s a winner! The late Mr. O-P used to love butter pecan ice cream. Me, not only am I not a particular fan of butter pecan ice cream, but ice cream, in general, doesn’t wow me...but I digress. I was thinking about him the other day, as I often do. He absolutely loved cookies, and I wondered what it would be like if I were to create a butter pecan cookie in his honor. He would have loved these, and so would have my dad, yet another cookie fanatic. Toasting the pecans makes them wonderfully flavorful, adding butter flavoring, gives these an extra buttery taste. Make up a batch for now, and another to freeze for the holidays.

Butter Pecan Cookies

2 ½ c. flour
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
½ c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
½ t. butter extract
2 c. pecans, roughly chopped

In a 9” skillet over medium heat, toast to pecans, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes or until fragrant.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the work bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter for 2 minutes until light and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for an additional 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in extracts. Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Fold in 1 ½ c. of the pecans.

Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F; line baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Using a cookie scoop, mound scoops of dough onto your cookie sheet and top with reserved pecans, pressing pecans down lightly into the dough. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool five minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.