Description
Indulgent toffee pecan shortbread cookies deliver a symphony of buttery, nutty flavors from Scottish baking traditions. Crisp edges and sweet caramel notes invite eager bakers to savor this delightful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold, diced into small cubes)
- ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¾ cup toffee bits (with additional for topping)
- ½ cup pecans (finely chopped, with additional for topping)
- 10 oz (280 g) dark chocolate (either chopped or in wafer form)
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
Instructions
- Cream cold, diced butter with confectioners’ sugar using a stand mixer until smooth and uniform, periodically scraping bowl sides to ensure even mixing.
- Incorporate vanilla extract and salt into butter mixture. Slowly add flour at low speed, mixing until dough just begins to come together without overmixing.
- Gently fold toffee bits and chopped pecans into the prepared dough. Divide into two equal portions and shape each into a uniform log approximately 6 ½ inches long and 1 ½ to 1 ¾ inches wide, carefully compressing to eliminate air pockets.
- Tightly wrap each dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour until thoroughly chilled.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Retrieve dough from refrigerator and slice each log into 14-15 thin pieces, approximately ½-inch thick. Position slices on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes until cookie edges turn light golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent over-browning.
- Transfer cookies to wire rack and allow complete cooling.
- For chocolate coating, melt dark chocolate using microwave’s defrost setting in 20-second intervals, stirring between each cycle until fully liquefied.
- Partially submerge each cookie in melted chocolate, gently tapping to remove excess. Optional: Sprinkle additional toffee bits or chopped pecans over chocolate surface.
- Let chocolate set at room temperature for approximately one hour, or expedite process by refrigerating. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for extended preservation.
Notes
- Ensure butter is cold and diced for optimal shortbread texture, which helps create a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
- Use a gentle mixing technique to prevent overworking the dough, maintaining a delicate and tender cookie structure.
- Chill the dough thoroughly before slicing to help cookies maintain their shape and prevent spreading during baking.
- Experiment with chocolate variations like milk or white chocolate for different flavor profiles, adding personal creativity to the classic recipe.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 198
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 38 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 29 mg