Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Photo: flickr user I Love Egg

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperatur

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (2 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

Sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt, and set aside. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Stir in the flour, then the pecans, to make a stiff dough.

On a lightly floured work surface, form the dough into a 9 inch-long log.

Wrap tightly in parchment paper. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least two hours or overnight.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Unwrap and slice the dough into inch-thick rounds. Arrange about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until beginning to brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.

Cool on the sheet for five minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. The cookies can be baked and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about five days.