COOKIE #13: SANDIES

Hope you don’t have triskaidekaphobia, because here is Cookie #13! I read the name of our unlucky candidate, and I can’t help singing it aloud. To me, Sandies sound like a title to a Beach Boys song. ♫ Saaaa-aa-dies ♪ More commonly referred to as pecan sandies, these classic cookies are not likely to fall to superstition. Who doesn’t have a warm recollection of pecan sandies? Well, besides those with a nut allergy perhaps.

When I realize that I will be cooking up sandies (which I might refer to as pecan sandies throughout this blog due to habit), I immediately think of my family and how I’m going to freeze some of the dough to make cookies for them later. This is a cookie that is made every holiday season in my family, on both sides.  Not because we only like to eat them at Christmas, but because that’s really the only time of year we do a lot of cookie baking. Actually June 23^rd is National Pecan Sandies Day.  So maybe I’ll get into the habit of cooking them twice a year? To be honest, I never really loved them as much as my grandparents, mom, or dad. But the nostalgic value is thru the roof. And after the epic fail of my last cookie (and its blog entry, sorry), I can’t wait to get started.



Annalie helping me "recycle" the butter box

Now you know it’s a well known cookie when you can go to the supermarket and find them on the shelves. Keebler elves work their merry magic and make “Sandies Pecan Shortbread”.  Shortbread? Yes, the foundation for all sandies include the basic shortbread ingredients: butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour. Once you have the shortbread batter, you can include various “add-ins” to give your cookies more character. Chocolate chips, espresso, cinnamon, or in this classic case – pecans.  5 simple ingredients to this wonderful, pure cookie. 

But wait, there are 6 ingredients listed here.  What?! Water again? You might as well shoot me now.  Reading the instructions, you add the water at the same time as the vanilla. Really?! Sigh. Watered down vanilla it is. I’ll try not to focus on this catastrophe and focus rather on the hopefully delicious outcome.



Taking a break for yoga - downward dog

For those who haven’t had a Sandie in their lifetime (you’re obviously not from the south), Sandies are a dense cookie.  You’ll notice that there are no leavening agents in this cookie, ie – no baking soda or powder.  That’s because this cookie is not meant to rise or aerate.  There are also no eggs. Eggs are generally included in recipes to do 4 things: help hold the cookie together, provide a lighter taste and texture, leaven, and increase shelf life. So without eggs in this recipe, it is no surprise that sandies tend to be one of the more crumble-y cookies out there. You take a bite and half of your cookie may fall in your lap. But that’s okay! You get to save some for later! Or you can do what I do, shake the crumbs to the floor for your pooch to eat up.



Sooo good with coffee



 Lastly, in my book all proper pecan sandies should be rolled (we ALWAYS make the ball shaped kind) in powdered sugar.  Delicious, oh-so-messy powdered sugar. So not only will this cookie probably fall to pieces in your lap, it will most likely leave a trail of white dust. Think of eating a funnel cake.  You’ll need a few napkins and a propensity to licking your fingers.

I get this party started buy unwrapping TWO whole sticks of butter, y’all.  The butter engulfs the tiny 1/3 cup of sugar that’s added to it. Next I add my shot glass of vanilla and (sadly) some water. Then its time for the flour and pecans. There is so much flour and not much liquid, I’m worried that it won’t all mix together.  But thank the cookie gods, it blends just fine.  I pop the dough in the fridge for the suggested 3 hours, then get to rolling some balls. *snicker* I freeze a good portion of the dough balls to bake later for my family, knowing that I will be driving down to the farm (home) in a couple of weeks. I bake only 1 dozen pecan sandies, let them cool a moment, and then toss them in the confectioners’ (aka powered) sugar. Voila! Little nuggets of yum.



Maverick - ie the best mop ever


They taste exactly like I remember my grandmother making them – like butter and pecans. Maybe she even used this exact recipe?  This was her BH&G cookbook after all.  Just as I predicted, a few crumbs escape my mouth and tumble down my shirt. I whistle for my dog, lick my fingers, and call it a success.

Cookie Grade:  A = even though these were never my favorite cookies, they taste like memories

What I was jammin’ to: Fisher Price sing alongs with baby