Name: Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter (melted); ½ cup packed brown sugar; 1 tablespoon molasses; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 4 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted)

Butter, brown sugar, molasses, flour, cornstarch, and pecans—these cozy Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies are rich, soft, and perfectly nutty.

Okay, confession time. These butter pecan shortbread cookies? They’re not just a recipe to me. They’re a memory.

Every December, like clockwork, my Aunt Mae would show up at our house with a dented tin full of them. She was a “no frills” kind of baker—nothing fancy, but everything she made tasted like it had a soul. The woman didn’t believe in stand mixers or timers. She just knew when things were done by smell. And these cookies? They were her signature.

The first time I tried to recreate them, I messed up twice. Forgot the salt the first time. Overmixed the second. But the third time… something clicked. The smell coming from the oven took me right back to her tiny kitchen, with the floral curtains and a little radio playing holiday songs in the background.

So yeah. These cookies carry a lot more than just butter and sugar—they carry love. And maybe a little bit of chaos, too.

Why You’ll Love This Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies Recipe?

Melt-in-your-mouth texture. Thanks to cornstarch and all that glorious butter.
Brown sugar + molasses = cozy magic. Not too sweet, but deeply flavorful.
No mixer, no chilling, no fuss. You don’t even need to cream butter.
Toasted pecans for the win. You have to toast them. Don’t skip that part. Promise me.
Slice like bars = no scooping. No sticky fingers, no burnt bottoms. Just easy, even, glorious cookie squares.

Ingredient Notes:

These aren’t delicate Parisian tea cookies. They’re rustic, buttery, and unapologetically homemade. But knowing your ingredients makes a difference.

Butter (1 cup / 2 sticks): Real butter, please. Salted or unsalted works, just adjust the added salt accordingly.
Brown Sugar (½ cup, packed): I prefer dark brown for deeper flavor, but light works too.
Molasses (1 tbsp): Don’t leave this out. Just a tablespoon adds that little something-something.
Almond Extract (1 tsp): It’s what makes people say, “Wait, what is that flavor?!”
All-Purpose Flour (2 cups): Nothing fancy, just the usual.
Cornstarch (4 tbsp): This is what keeps it tender. Like, don’t-skip-it tender.
Salt (1 tsp): Essential. Even in sweet things. Especially in sweet things.
Toasted Pecans (1 cup, chopped): Don’t just toss ’em in raw. Toasting = depth + crunch + chef’s kiss.

How To Make Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies?

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment or grease it if you’re living dangerously. I vote parchment—it makes cleanup less of a scene.

Step 2. Melt the butter.
No need to soften it. Melt it in the microwave or on the stove. Set it aside just long enough to not scramble your eggs (just kidding—no eggs here).

Step 3. Stir together butter, brown sugar, and molasses.
Use a wooden spoon or whatever’s closest. It should look glossy and smell like heaven.

Step 4. Mix in almond extract.
Pause to inhale. You’ll thank me.

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Step 5. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt.
It’s gonna look crumbly at first, but keep going until a dough forms. Don’t overmix. Think “rustic,” not “gluten activation.”

Step 6. Fold in those toasted pecans.
Gently, like you’re tucking them into bed.

Step 7. Press into the pan.
Use your hands, a spatula, the back of a measuring cup—whatever works. Just make it even.

Step 8. Bake 22–25 minutes.
It should look golden around the edges and smell like a dream. Don’t overbake or you’ll lose the softness.

Step 9. Cool for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
This is the hardest part, but if you cut too early, they crumble. I know it’s tempting. I’ve made this mistake… more than once.

Storage Options:

These cookies keep beautifully. Room temp in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you manage not to eat them all by then, they also freeze well—layer with parchment in a freezer-safe bag.

Let’s be real though: they rarely last more than 48 hours in my house.

Variations and Substitutions:

Swap almond extract for vanilla if you’re not a fan.
Add mini chocolate chips for a little twist.
Try walnuts if you’re out of pecans (but pecans are the OG here).
Want a gluten-free version? Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and double-check that your cornstarch is GF certified.

What to Serve with Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies?

These pair well with just about anything, but here’s what I love:

Strong coffee. Like, borderline burnt diner coffee. Trust me.
Chai tea. Something about those spices with the buttery cookie is chef’s kiss.
Vanilla bean ice cream. Warm cookie. Cold ice cream. Need I say more?

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely. Use a 9×13 pan. You might need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time—just keep an eye on the edges.

Can I make these ahead for the holidays?
They’re perfect make-ahead cookies. Bake, cool, cut, and freeze. Bring to room temp or warm in the oven for 5 minutes.

Why molasses?
Flavor depth, baby. Without it, you’ve just got a basic cookie. With it? You’ve got soul.

And that’s it! These Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies are nostalgic, rich, and ridiculously easy to love.

Whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, a holiday tray, or just a Monday that needs saving—these will do the trick.

If you make them, let me know! I wanna hear all about it—cracks, crumbs, almond extract accidents and all.

Happy baking, my friend.

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Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!

<Remember it later>

Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!

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