Cherry Pecan Shortbread Rounds

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Cherry pecan shortbread rounds are an easy slice and bake cookie that will look pretty on any holiday cookie tray.

This recipe is sponsored by Adams Extracts and Spices. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Family Around the Table possible.

Sometimes, during the holidays especially, you need an easy cookie. Slice and bake cookies are an easy choice. You can even freeze the uncooked cookie dough logs.

While these cherry pecan shortbread rounds look festive for Christmas, almost like stained glass, they would also be nice for Valentine’s Day.

The wonderful thing about this cookie dough is it can stay in the refrigerator a day or two before you bake them. Just leave the log intact, don’t pre-slice them. I love being able to make parts of recipes in advance.

Shortbread cookies typically don’t spread a lot so you can put them closer together on the cookie sheet. I got 15 on my baking sheets. I was thinking of adding some of the juice from the maraschino cherry jar for color but the cookies got a lovely pink hue after adding the chopped cherries.

More shortbread cookie recipes

• Christmas Funfetti Pecan Shortbread Bites
• Cranberry Orange Shortbread Bars with Orange Glaze
• Daisy Shortbread Cookies
• Buttered Pecan Shortbread Cookies

More recipes with cherries

Not all are cookies!

• Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
• Chocolate Cherry Cookies
• Glazed Cherry Cheese Danish
• Cherry Almond Bars

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Cherry Pecan Shortbread Rounds

An easy slice and bake cookie for the busy holiday season.

4.67 from 3 votes

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Chilling Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course: Desserts and Sweets

Cuisine: American

Servings: 42

Author: Ellen Folkman

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract I used Adams Best Vanilla Extract
• 1 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained well and chopped, reserve cherry juice for another use.
• Blot chopped cherries with paper towels to remove excess moisture
• 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans I used pecans from Millican Pecan Company

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt, set aside.
• Cream 1 cup unsalted softened butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, add in vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and combine until it starts forming large clumps.
• Mix in pecans and maraschino cherries. Before removing from bowl, press dough together well so it's no longer crumbly.
• On a piece of plastic wrap, form dough into the log and press it well. The log should be about 2 inches thick.
• Wrap it in the plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Cut the log into 1/4-inch thick slices. If the slices crumble, press it back together with your hands. Place them onto baking sheet at least 1-inch apart.
• Bake the cookies 15 – 18 minutes, until they just start to turn golden brown on top and around the edges.
• Let them cool for 3 minutes on a baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.