Description
Sweet Georgia O’Keeffe’s pecan butterballs dance with delicate Southern charm, melting on tongues like whispered memories. Delightful crescent-shaped cookies roll through powdered sugar, inviting you to savor each tender, nutty bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by setting the temperature to 300F (150C) and arranging a baking sheet with parchment paper or a light grease coating.
- Sift flour and salt together in a medium mixing vessel to ensure smooth incorporation.
- Create a creamy foundation by vigorously blending softened butter, honey, and vanilla extract until the mixture achieves a silky, uniform consistency.
- Gradually introduce the flour mixture into the butter base, gently mixing until the ingredients are just combined, avoiding over-manipulation of the dough.
- Incorporate chopped pecans into the mixture, folding them evenly throughout the dough to distribute nutty flavor and texture.
- Craft delicate spheres approximately 1 inch in diameter, carefully positioning them on the prepared baking sheet with sufficient spacing between each cookie.
- Place the cookie-laden sheet into the preheated oven, allowing the treats to bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges develop a subtle golden hue.
- After removing from the oven, permit the cookies to rest for approximately 5 minutes, reaching a warm but not hot temperature.
- Gently enrobe each cookie in a generous coating of powdered sugar, ensuring complete coverage for a delightful, snow-like appearance.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely, offering an optional second dusting of powdered sugar for an enhanced wintery aesthetic before serving.
Notes
- Customize Texture: Use room temperature butter for smoother, more consistent dough that blends easily with other ingredients.
- Control Sweetness: Adjust honey quantity based on preference, knowing less honey creates crumblier, less sweet cookies.
- Pecan Preparation: Toast pecans briefly before chopping to enhance their nutty flavor and add deeper complexity to the butterballs.
- Storage Hack: These cookies maintain best texture when stored in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper, keeping them fresh for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg