Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves (about 5 1/2 ounces), or equivalent weight in other nuts
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Food processor
• Frying pan
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Baking sheets

Instructions

1. Toast the nuts. Toast the nuts in a large frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
2. Finely chop the nuts. Finely chop the nuts or transfer the nuts to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process into a fine meal; set aside.
3. Combine the dry ingredients. Place the flour, chopped nuts, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
4. Cream the butter and powdered sugar. Place the butter and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and a large bowl.) Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Return the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
6. Chill the dough. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap, form it into a 1-inch-thick disc, and wrap completely in the plastic. Refrigerate until firm but still soft enough to scoop, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Heat the oven and prepare the baking sheets. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a pie plate or large, shallow bowl.
8. Shape the dough. Form the dough into 1-tablespoon balls and place on the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 1/4-inches apart (fit them all on the 2 baking sheets; they do not spread much).
9. Bake the cookies. Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set, 7 to 8 minutes more.
10. Cool and coat the cookies twice. Place the baking sheets on wire racks and let the cookies cool on the sheets for 10 minutes. While still warm, gently coat each cookie completely in powdered sugar and place on the rack. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes more, then coat again in the powdered sugar.

Recipe Notes

Nut substitutions: You can substitute an equal weight (not volume) of almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, or pistachios for the pecans, or use any combination of these nuts.

Make ahead: The dough can be made, formed into balls, and frozen directly on the baking sheet. Store the frozen cookie dough balls in freezer zip-top bags or an airtight container for up to 2 months. Bake frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time, and continue with coating with powdered sugar. You can also freeze the fully baked cookies without powdered sugar; thaw completely before coating in powdered sugar.

Storage: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.