How do you make shortbread even more delicious? Add some toasted pecans and butterscotch flavor and make it butter pecan shortbread. I sent these tasty treats to North Carolina for my sister-in-law Kristin a few weeks back, and she sent me a photo of the container with a few crumbs remaining, proclaiming them the best I’d ever made.
So what makes this flavor combination so delicious? My money is on the toasted pecans, because toasted nuts taste far more delicious than raw ones. Toasting brings the oils to the nut’s surface, intensifying their flavor and adding crunch. Pecans are one of my favorite nuts for baking, and they’re a huge hit in these easy treats. If you don’t have butterscotch flavor, you can certainly leave it out and just add some vanilla instead. The flavor won’t be quite as intense, but it will still be delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon butterscotch flavor
- 2 1/3 cups flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
Preparation
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and butterscotch flavor. Add flour and beat to combine completely, then add pecans. You may need to knead the dough a bit with your hands to get the pecans to fully distribute.
Divide dough in half and press into the bottoms of the cake pans, using the palm of your hand to create an even surface. Prick all over with a fork.
Bake for 32-35 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and gently loosen the sides, then allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Gently flip onto a cutting board and slice each round into 16 wedges, then place wedges on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about 5 days.
Makes 32 wedges.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 