The other day, I went to a Ladies' Fellowship at our church on St. Patrick's Day. We were all asked to bring finger foods, and I thought it would be fun to make something Irish. I looked up Irish desserts, and came across these Irish Oat Cookies on Baking A Moment. To say they were fantastic would be an understatement. They reminded me of pecan sandies without the pecans. That flavor profile got me thinking about what would happen if I made them with pecans vs. oats and gluten-free? Answer: I'd get some tasty little gluten-free pecan sandies, that's what!
If you are a fan of pecan sandies, you simply must try these. They are buttery and sandy - the perfect cookie for lovers of shortbread and pecans. They are great on their own or with a cup of tea, coffee or milk. You will not be disappointed!
These cookies are wheat and fish-free, and can be soy*, nut, egg and milk-free (see variations).
*Note: The gluten-free flour I recommend does not technically contain soy, but it does contain xanthan gum (see "Soy-Free" under variations for more details) which can cause issues for people with soy sensitivities or allergies. For this reason, I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free. I will share a soy-free alternative in variations, though.
Gluten-Free Pecan Sandies
1 Cup (2 sticks) salted, full-fat butter, softened
3/4 Cup brown sugar, loosely packed
(Normally, you would tightly pack brown sugar. For this recipe, you want it loosely packed for best results.)
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 Cups gluten-free measure for measure flour
(We normally use and highly recommend King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour.)
1 Cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (heaping)
(By heaping I mean rounded 1/2 teaspoon. This can be up to 3/4 teaspoon, but ideally between 1/2 and 3/4 teaspoon.)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
(By scant, I mean just below a full 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon. This could mean as little as half those amounts, but ideally between half the amount of the amount intended (i.e. 1/8 to 3/16 for the 1/4 teaspoon and 1/4 to 3/8 for the 1/2 teaspoon). We normally use the scant 1/2 teaspoon, but you can use scant 1/4 if you like things less salty.)
1. Preheat oven to 350o F .
2. Line sheet pans with parchment paper.
3. Place the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat together until smooth.
4. Mix in the egg yolks until combined.
5. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the flour, pecans, baking soda, and salt, mixing together until just barely combined.
6. Using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop, drop balls of dough on the prepared baking sheets, allowing room in between for spreading.
7. Bake the cookies for 14 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and crisp.
8. Cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
Makes around 30 cookies.
Variations (Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using variations):
- Milk-Free: Use non-dairy butter of your choice, coconut oil or lard in place of the butter in this recipe.
- Egg-Free: Follow one of the recommendations here to replace the egg yolks in this recipe.
- Soy-Free: The King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour that we use does not claim to contain soy, but it does contain xanthan gum, both of which can cause issues with people who have soy sensitivities and allergies. For this reason, I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free. You can use regular flour (if you can have it) or a soy-free, gluten-free flour of your choice. Keep in mind that if your blend doesn't contain guar gum or xanthan gum, you may need to add between 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground flax seed, guar gum or xanthan gum to help with textural issues, too.
- Nut-Free: You can substitute 1 Cup of old fashioned oats for the pecans.
- Alternative Nuts: If you like nuts but don't like or can't have pecans, you could substitute 1 Cup of finely chopped walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts for the pecans.
- Reduce Spreading: These cookies can spread a bit. If this bothers you, you can chill your cookie dough for 30 -60 minutes after scooping it into balls and before baking.
Classic. Simple. Delicious.
Enjoy!
