Pecan Shortbread

Makes about 7 dozen cookies

½ cup toasted pecan halves
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into individual tablespoons
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Nutritional information per cookie: Calories 50 (54% from fat) • carb. 5g • pro. 0g • fat 3g • sat. fat 2g • Col. 7mg • sod. 13mg • calc. 0mg • fiber 0g

Vegetarian

1. Insert Metal Chopping Blade. Add ½ cup pecan halves. Secure the Cooking Lid with Steam Cap removed. The cooking time is set for 5 minutes at 200°F on Speed 4 to toast.
2. Add ¼ cup granulated sugar. Secure the Cooking Lid.
3. Pulse to combine. Reserve in a separate mixing bowl.
4. Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and ½ teaspoon salt to the work bowl. Secure the Cooking Lid.
5. The processor is set to sift for 15 seconds on Speed 6.
6. Add the pecan/sugar mixture back into the work bowl with the dry ingredients. Pulse to combine.
7. Evenly distribute 2½ sticks room temperature butter, cut into 20 individual tablespoons, in the work bowl containing the dry ingredients.
8. Pulse to incorporate the butter with the dry ingredients until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
9. Add teaspoon vanilla extract. Process on Speed 11 until the mixture comes together as a dense dough.
10. Form the dough into two equal discs, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
11. To bake: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
12. Remove one dough disc from refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll the dough to an even ⅛-inch thickness.
13. Using a 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut rounds and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
14. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, turning baking sheet halfway through bake time, until the edges are golden. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
15. Repeat rolling and baking with remaining dough.