Cream Cheese Pecan Cookies

Slice and bake Cream Cheese Pecan Cookies! They’re perfectly tender, deliciously buttery and flavorful, sweet and tangy and you’ll love the abundance of crunchy yet tender pecans (both swirled into the batter and rolled along the edges of the cookies)! It’s a tempting holiday cookie recipe worthy of adding to the recipe box.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.

Cream Cheese Pecan Cookies

• Servings: 36
• Prep Time 30 minutes
• Cook Time 15 minutes
• Chilling Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, nearly room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups (320g) unbleached all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
• 2 cup Fisher Pecan Halves, divided (1 cup chopped small, 1 cup chopped fine)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and salt until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
2. Mix in vanilla extract. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
3. With mixer running on low speed gradually add flour. Mix just until combined.
4. Mix in 1 cup small chopped pecans.
5. Spread dough out along sides and bottom of bowl (this helps it chill faster and more evenly). Freeze until firm enough to handle, about 20 - 30 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 3 equal portions (12 oz each). Compress and shape each portion into a 6-inch log on a greased surface*.
7. Place pecans on cutting board and spread out a little then roll each log through pecans to cover. Wrap each in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Chill through, about 30 minutes in the freezer or 3 hours in the fridge.
8. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Cut log into 12 slices (each about 1/2-inch thick). Fit 12 cookies per sheet and bake one sheet at a time on prepared baking sheet until just set (keep remaining logs chilled in fridge), about 13 - 16 minutes (bottom of cookies should be golden brown when lifted and cookies should no longer appear raw).
10. Let cool 5 minutes one baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

• *I don't recommend using a floured surface to roll dough because the pecans won't stick as well in the next step. Be sure to tightly compress logs when shaping which will fill any empty pockets of space.
  

VARIATIONS:

• Cut thinner if desired (no less than 1/4-inch). This way you'll get more cookies too and they'll be slightly crisper.
• Use walnuts in place of pecans if desired.
• Roll cookie dough logs in red or green sugar sprinkles instead of pecans if desired, then gently press a whole pecan into the center before baking.
• Drizzle cooled cookies with melted white chocolate or dark chocolate.