About this recipe
If you’ve ever loved pecan sandies or shortbread cookies, these butter pecan cookie sandwiches are right up your alley. The dough is rich with butter, sugar, and finely ground pecans, creating tender cookies that hold their shape and practically dissolve in your mouth.
The filling is up to you: tart raspberry jam, gooey cajeta, or melted chocolate all make these cookies shine. They’re simple to bake, endlessly adaptable, and special enough to gift or serve at Christmas.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture. Soft, buttery, and nutty.
- Festive. Perfect for Christmas pecan cookies or Valentine’s hearts.
- Customizable fillings. Jam, cajeta, caramel, or chocolate.
- Easy to adapt. Want vegan butter pecan cookies? Just swap in your favorite plant-based butter.
ingredient notes
- Butter. Use unsalted butter for best flavor. (For vegan, use plant-based butter sticks.)
- Sugar. White or organic cane sugar works.
- Pecans. Grind finely until sandy, not pasty.
- Flour. All-purpose keeps them sturdy yet tender.
- Vanilla & salt. Balance and flavor depth.
- Optional fillings: raspberry jam, cajeta/caramel, apricot preserves, or chocolate.
How to make butter pecan cookie sandwiches
- Make the dough. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix in pecans, flour, and salt until smooth.
- Chill. Roll dough ¼-inch thick between parchment or silicone mats. Chill 30 minutes to 3 hours.
- Cut & bake. Use cutters or slice into squares. Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
- Cool. Let cookies cool completely.
- Assemble. Spread filling on one cookie, top with another, and dust with powdered sugar if you like.
Variations
- For pecan sandies, serve plain with powdered sugar.
- Add cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for holiday pecan cookies.
- Dip one side in chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Make pecan cookie sandwiches. Fill them with your favorite filling: jam, vegan cajeta, or melted chocolate.
Home-cook tips
- Work cool. Vegan or dairy butter both soften quickly; keep the dough chilled.
- Roll on parchment. Cut directly on the sheet, remove scraps, and slide onto the baking tray — no broken cookies.
- Make ahead. Freeze cut-out cookies raw, then bake straight from frozen.
- Lightly flour the rolling pin. Flour the rolling pin thoroughly when rolling the dough to prevent sticking.
Frequently asked questions
Butter Pecan Cookie Sandwiches
Equipment
- Mixer
- Mixer
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter or vegan butter for dairy-free
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ground pecans
- ¼ tsp salt
- Raspberry jam cajeta/caramel, or chocolate (for filling)
- Powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla.
- Mix in pecans, flour, and salt until smooth dough forms.
- Roll dough ¼-inch thick between parchment. Chill 30 minutes to 3 hours.
- Cut cookies, bake 15 minutes, and cool completely.
- Fill with jam or cajeta, sandwich, and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
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- How to store the butter pecan cookies. The best way to store these and any other cookie is in an airtight container lined with parchment paper.
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- Do I have to use room-temperature butter? Yes, but watch out when working with vegan butter; it melts really fast.
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- I don’t have cookie cutters. What can I use? Cut squares with a ruler and knife. This is actually easier because there will be no scraps.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- About the Author
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I’m Ale Graf, a Mexican living in Texas and the creator of AleCooks and Piloncillo&Vainilla. I share easy, family-friendly recipes—some Mexican, mostly plant-based—that can be enjoyed all day, every day. My focus is on recipes that bring people together around the table, making mealtime simple, delicious and meaningful. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino, and my recipes have been featured in numerous online magazines and publications.
Follow along on my social accounts for daily inspiration, tips, and delicious recipes! I’d love to hear about you! Send me a DM on Instagram, and let’s talk all things food 🍽️✨