Phenomenal Phoods

Pecan Shortbread Cookies with Orange Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup finely ground pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
• Sprinkles for decorating, optional

Instructions:

1. Use a mixer to combine the butter and brown sugar until smooth.
2. Add the ground pecans, flour and salt, mixing just until combined and crumbly.
3. Put some flour on your hands and combine the dough into a log that is about 2 inches in diameter.
4. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or freeze for 20 minutes.
5. When ready, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and slice the cold cookie dough into 1/4 inch thick slices. You should get about 24 cookies. If you want to have some wreath cookies, use a small, circular lid or a piping tip to cut holes in the centers. Save the cut out circles to bake as well.
6. Lay the cookies on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, about an inch apart.
7. Bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes until the edges are starting to brown. Let cool completely before glazing.
8. To make the glaze, stir together the powdered sugar, orange juice and 2 tablespoons of milk or water until smooth. Add additional milk or water as needed. The consistency should be smooth and runny enough for dipping the cookies but not so thin that it just slides right off of the cookies.
9. Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze and tilt it so that any excess runs off before laying the cookies out on a sheet of wax or parchment paper to set. If using sprinkles, add them while the glaze is still wet.
10. Store cookies between sheets of wax paper in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.