INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1” cubes
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
Pinch salt
2 t pure vanilla extract
2 ¼ C all-purpose flour
2 t cinnamon
1 T ginger
1 t cloves
2 T molasses
1 ¼ C toasted pecans, chopped
*TIPS – measure nut after chopping and cool completely after toasting before proceeding with the recipe. Any other nuts may be substituted for the pecans.
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Pulse the toasted pecans in the work bowl of your food processor using short quick bursts. *it is important to pulse the nuts rather than pureeing them – you don’t want to end up with nut butter. Some chefs like to add a bit of sugar to the nuts to help facilitate easy movement in the food processor. Set aside.
Place powdered sugar, flour and spices in food processor. Add cold butter pieces and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Add cooled, chopped pecans and molasses. Pulse again until blended. Continue to pulse until dough comes together and can be shaped into balls.
While cookies are baking, place 1-1 ½ cups of additional powdered sugar in a shallow mixing bowl and set aside.
Portion dough into 1 ½” pieces and roll into balls. Place 2” apart on prepared sheet pans and bake 14-18 minutes until cookies are slightly browned and firm to the touch.
