Description

These Chocolate Strawberry Pecan Sandies are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies featuring rich salted butter, mini chocolate chips, and crunchy pecans, all rolled in a delicate pink strawberry sugar made from freeze-dried strawberries and powdered sugar. Perfect for cozy afternoons or festive gatherings, this nostalgic recipe combines the comforting flavors of vanilla and strawberry with a delightful crunch and a subtle sweet coating.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

3/4 cup Salted Butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Large Egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Pecans or Walnuts, finely chopped
1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Strawberry Sugar Coating

Powdered Sugar for rolling cookies (start with 1/2 cup and adjust)
Freeze-Dried Strawberries (start with 1/2 cup and adjust)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes, which creates a tender cookie texture.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the room temperature egg and pure vanilla extract until the mixture is fully combined, providing structure and flavor.
Incorporate Flour: Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour, stirring just until a dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Fold in Nuts and Chocolate: Gently fold in the finely chopped pecans (or walnuts) and mini chocolate chips to evenly distribute throughout the dough, adding crunch and chocolate bursts.
Portion the Dough: Using a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop (#110), portion the dough into small balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for slight spreading.
Bake: Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms turn lightly golden. Oven times may vary, so check at 15 minutes to avoid overbaking.
Prepare Strawberry Sugar: While the cookies bake, place powdered sugar and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor. Blend for about one minute until the sugar turns a soft pastel pink. Adjust the amount of strawberries if a deeper pink or stronger flavor is desired.
Initial Rolling: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes until warm but not hot. Roll each cookie in the strawberry sugar to coat evenly, allowing the warmth to help the sugar stick well.
Cool and Second Coating: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. For a thicker strawberry sugar coating, roll the cooled cookies a second time in the strawberry sugar before serving or storing.

Notes

Softened Butter Is Key: Use butter softened to room temperature, not melted, to ensure the dough cremes properly and the cookies stay tender.
Chill Dough: Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking helps prevent excessive spreading and produces thicker cookies.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Best sourced online or in specialty grocery stores. If unavailable, dry fresh strawberries in the oven at low heat before processing.
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days before baking.
Variations: Nuts can be swapped with walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts according to preference.
Roll cookies while warm for optimal sugar coating adherence and a lovely pink finish.
Use a cookie scoop for uniform size and even baking.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate pecan cookies, strawberry sugar cookies, pecan sandies, melt in your mouth cookies, strawberry pecan cookies, holiday cookies, homemade cookies, buttery cookies