Buttery, rich butterscotch cookies made with dark brown sugar and pecans. Crisp edges, with just the right amount of chewiness and sweetness in the center. Use oats in this recipe for a nut-free version!
If you haven't already, grind your pecans in a food processor. They should be mainly powdery, with a few big pieces for texture. Chopped pecans (instead of ground) will still be delicious, but will change the texture of the cookie a bit.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until creamy, about 2 more minutes. Add the egg, powdered milk, and vanilla extract. Beat until light, another 1-2 minutes. (I see this best around the top edges of the mixer's paddle.)
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until it's all just combined. Scrape the bowl and stir in the pecans, either with a rubber spatula, or with the stand mixer again.
Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. (A medium, 1 ½ tablespoon or #40 cookie scoop, with the dough leveled off, works perfectly.)
Use your fingers to pat the dough down into a 2 ½ inch wide circle. This works best for me if my fingers are slightly damp, but not wet.
Bake at 375F for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown. See the notes below for doneness recommendations.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for a day or two. See notes for make-ahead options.
The recipe originally called for 12 tablespoons shortening and 2 tablespoons butter. Shortening would make for a crunchier cookie, but isn't something I usually bake with.
Light brown sugar will also work.
Don't have or want to buy powdered milk? Omit it. The cookies are better and richer with it, but the recipe also works without it. Keep it, however, if you use shortening.
Want to make it nut-free? Use 1 cup of roughly chopped quick oats instead of pecans; it works.
Cookies spread out to about 3 inches wide, so don't overcrowd them.
7 minutes: cookies are pale and soft throughout, even when cooled.
8 minutes: cookies have soft centers with a slight crunch on edge. After a day of storage, they are completely soft, but the color is better than the 7 minute cookies.
9 minutes: cookies have soft centers, but more crispness on the edge, and notably better color than 8 minute cookies. They are completely soft after a day of storage, but tastier than the 7 minute cookies.
10 minutes: cookies are slightly soft in the center, with golden edges. They retain their crispness. They also store the best but will still soften after a couple of days.
Make-ahead: scoop and shape cookie dough. Freeze, then move to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen; add 2 minutes to baking time.
Adapted from the Fannie Farmer Baking Book, which adapted it from Schrafft's restaurants