In most cookbooks, you’ll find a recipe for pecan sandies, wedding cookies, tea cakes, or sand tarts. These treats are all similar, but can have subtle differences – some use pecans while others use walnuts, some are shaped into balls instead of crescents, and so forth. But the end result is usually an absolutely delicious, buttery, not-to-sweet treat that is sure to please.

These sand tarts actually remind me very much of one of my favorite cookies, the Russian Tea Cake, which Mike calls “nut bombs.” My mom famously tried to make them one Christmas when I was a kid and they turned out like rocks, so she called them “Christmas bombs.” Mine, I’m happy to say, turned out very well.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Preparation

Preheat oven to 270 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat to combine. With the mixer running on low, gradually add flour. Stir in pecans.

Using floured hands, shape dough into tablespoon-sized balls, then shape into crescents.

Bake for 40-45 minutes; remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then roll in powdered sugar.

Once cookies are completely cool, roll in powdered sugar again.