Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Light-colored saucepan for browning butter
• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the butter

   Cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. A light pan lets you see the color change, which is everything here. Swirl occasionally as the butter melts, foams, and begins to sputter. Watch for amber flecks forming at the bottom. When the butter smells like toasting hazelnuts and has turned the color of dark honey, pull it from the heat immediately. The whole process takes 8 to 12 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl, scraping every last brown bit from the pan. Those are flavor. Refrigerate until solid but still slightly soft, about 1 hour.

   If you overshoot and the butter turns black, start over. Burnt butter tastes acrid and cannot be saved.
2. 2

   Soak the pecans

   While the butter chills, toss the toasted chopped pecans with 2 tablespoons bourbon in a small bowl. Let them sit at room temperature, stirring once or twice, until the bourbon is mostly absorbed. This takes about 30 minutes. The pecans will be fragrant and slightly tacky. If any liquid remains, drain it off before adding to the dough.

3. 3

   Mix the dough

   Beat the chilled browned butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes with a stand mixer or 4 minutes by hand. The mixture should look pale and creamy. Add 1 tablespoon bourbon, the vanilla, and salt. Beat until combined. Add the flour in two additions, mixing on low just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the bourbon-soaked pecans with a spatula. The dough will be soft but scoopable.

   Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough cookies. Stop the moment the flour disappears.
4. 4

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Cold dough holds its shape in the oven. Warm dough spreads into flat discs. Patience here pays dividends.

5. 5

   Shape the cookies

   Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls between your palms. You can also shape them into small crescents if you prefer the traditional wedding cookie form. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. These cookies don't spread much.

6. 6

   Bake until just set

   Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 14 to 16 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottoms are light golden and the tops look dry but haven't taken on any color. They'll feel soft when you press them, almost underdone. Trust the process. They firm as they cool. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Coat in powdered sugar

   Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm but handleable, roll each one gently in the sugar until coated on all sides. Transfer to a wire rack. Once completely cool, about 20 minutes, roll them in powdered sugar a second time. This double coating creates the classic snowy finish that clings rather than absorbs.

   The first coat melts slightly into the warm cookie, creating a seal. The second coat stays pristine white.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out fresh pecans from a source with high turnover. Stale nuts taste rancid and ruin everything they touch. Store shelled pecans in the freezer if you won't use them within a month.
• •Toast your pecans before chopping. Spread them on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 8 minutes, stirring halfway. You'll smell when they're ready. Let cool completely before chopping fine but not to dust.
• •For gift-giving, pack cookies in a single layer with parchment between layers. They're fragile. A good cookie tin keeps them fresh for two weeks at room temperature.
• •The browned butter can be made days ahead and refrigerated. Bring it to cool room temperature before beating with the sugar. It should be soft like traditional room-temperature butter, not cold and hard.

Advance Preparation

• •Browned butter can be prepared up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to pliable room temperature before using.
• •Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before shaping.
• •Shaped unbaked cookies can be frozen on a sheet pan, then transferred to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
• •Baked and sugared cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They actually improve after a day or two as the flavors meld.
• •For longer storage, freeze baked cookies before the final sugar coating. Thaw and roll in fresh powdered sugar before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 28g)