Here we go! The first recipe of 100+ in the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook. We’re starting out with cookies to ease ourselves into the whole project and to start it’s Thomas Keller’s Pecan Sandies.
This is a really classic cookie recipe comprising of just four ingredients: flour, butter, sugar and pecans. Everything was weighed out in grams as I mentioned I would do for this project.
The directions say to roll the dough into balls and then flatten into 2″ circles. When my dough came together it was still pretty crumbly. The consistency you’d look for in pie dough. Forming a ball then a disc was difficult so I just made discs straight from the dough.
I got 17 cookies out of this batch. The recipe says it will make 18. Perhaps I was a gram or so generous for each cookie. On the bottom right, that cookie was the one that I rolled and then pat down. You can see how it crumbled and cracked more than the others.
Baked at 350 in a standard oven for 25 minutes till golden around the edges. The tops stay pretty pale.
Ready to eat or tie with a pretty piece of twine for gifting!
The cookie is crisp like a shortbread and has texture from the chunks of pecans. If you want a smoother, less crackly looking cookie, finely chop the pecans instead of roughly chopping them. I opted not to dust with powdered sugar but feel free to add if you like your butter cookies sweeter.
Week 1 of the Bouchon Bakery Book Project
Read the Project recap on the Pecan Sandies
Bake with us!
March 9, 2013
I missed salt being in this cookie, and felt they could be a little more delicate. Keep up the good work as I will see what else you are baking. Made the blueberry muffins. I am sorry, but blueberries and molasses do not go together. I made regular sized muffins, and the texture was wonderful. Will try again without the molasses! Judy
March 9, 2013
Hi Judy,
I’m so glad you’re baking from the book too! You should check out the Bouchon Bakery Book Project page and send in your photos and comments. I agree the pecan sandies have a shortbread-like consistency. I’ve never had the cookie before so I don’t have anything else to compare this recipe to. And yes, the blueberry muffins were a little odd with the molasses. It grew on me later on. I’d make them again with maybe half the molasses and up the honey to make up for the liquid. I love the caramel color from the molasses.
March 16, 2013
What has been your favorite so far?
March 16, 2013
Judy,
Hard question! I’d have to say the shortbread cookies, scones and madeleines. All had really great results.