Chocolate Pecan Sandies

By DiAne Gates
     Photos by DiAne Gates

 Christmas is cookie time! And my kitchen smells delicious this evening. I’m sure Crandall ants are lining up around my house like Black Friday shoppers, waiting for those first crumbs of the season to hit the floor. And these chocolate pecan sandies will satisfy the tastes of even the most discerning critter.

Chocolate Pecan Sandies

These are always a favorite with the neighbors as are Aunt’s Christmas Cookies. And they’re easy!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

½ cup confectionary sugar (I use a little more…closer to ¾ cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans. I think any nuts would do…even peanuts)

¼ cup cocoa

Instructions:

Sift flour and salt together.

Sift sugar.

Cream softened butter and sugar ‘til smooth. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Stir cocoa into flour mix and add to butter mixture. Add chopped pecans and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll cookies into balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on rack then roll in powdered sugar. A yummy treat for your taste buds, and I get to eat the one broken open. But if you don’t care for chocolate, leave out the cocoa and make a blonde cookie!

I think maybe next time, if I’m serving adults, I’ll use Amaretto or maybe that super expensive orange liqueur—which shall remain nameless—in place of the vanilla and almond extracts.