Makes about 4 dozen small balls.
These bite size cookies melt in your mouth. They also keep well refrigerated or frozen.
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup pecans, toasted
1¼ cups unbleached all -purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature cut into small pieces
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar, plus ¼ cup for dusting the cookies
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon cognac or brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line an 18 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pulse the pecans in a food processor fitted with the steel blade until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl and combine with the flour and baking powder.
In an electric mixer using a balloon attachment, whisk the butter, at medium speed, gradually adding the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. From time to time scrape the sides of the bowl Add the yolk, cognac/ brandy and vanilla extract.
Gradually add the pecan/ flour mixture and beat, at low speed, until the dough begins to come together. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Shape flat teaspoons of dough into rough balls and place on the cookie sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes; the tops should feel firm to the touch. Let cool slightly.
Spread the sugar on a sheet of wax paper and roll the cookies in the sugar.
Cool on a wire rack.
When completely cool, refrigerate the cookies in an air-tight container with wax paper in between the layers. If there is any leftover sugar, just sprinkle it over the cookies. They will keep fresh for a few weeks.
