Butter cookies represent the richness and decadence of the holiday season for sure.  Instead of a store-bought tin or the basic butter recipe you might make, try this twist.  These guys get an upgrade from a roll in colored sugar crystals and topped with a pecan half.  They’re slightly crispy, but still melt in your mouth.  And they sparkle like all great things around Christmas should!

BUTTER PECAN COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Butter
• 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Each Red & Green Sugar Crystals
• 50 Pecan Halves

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add flour and mix well until dough is formed.
• Cover and chill in refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place sugar crystals into small bowls.  Red in one and green in the other.  You can use any color you want!
• Form dough into 1-inch balls and then roll in one of the colors of sugar.
• Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Once sheet is full, use the flat bottom of a glass or jar and gently press cookies flat.  You made need to dip glass in the sugar crystals between cookies to prevent sticking.
• Place a single pecan half on each cookie and press gently into dough.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove from oven and cool on wire racks.
• Store in an airtight container.

Be careful when baking these as it doesn’t take much for them to scorch.  They should be slightly browned on the bottom.  Once you figure out the right time for your oven, it’ll be super easy though.  Make them before next weekend and let me know how you like them.  Dig in!