These Pecan Puffs are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!
Day 8 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!
After 3 years of Christmas Cookies on AHC my “Family Recipe Well” was running dry, so I sent out a cry for help in true 2016 fashion.
No, it wasn’t a tweet, so I guess it was more circa 2010…don’t be so judgy.
No fewer than three people sent back this recipe for “Pecan Puffs”, which was clearly my grandmother’s cute name for Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Teacakes.
Yes, I’ve already technically posted a recipe but three family members can’t be wrong.
And I wasn’t disappointed. They were delightfully crumbly but not dry. The pecans and sugar were perfect!
These Pecan Puffs taste like sweet pecans and nostalgia.
I pre-toasted my pecans for maximum flavor and added a little salt. Old recipes never call for salt – why? Such an easy flavor boost!
But they were heaven! Just more proof that Grandma knows best!
These Pecan Puffs are Day 8 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies! You won’t want to miss my Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Festive Holiday Spritz, Ginger Orange Almond Biscotti, No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, Butterscotch Chews, or Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies from Day 1!
These Pecan Puffs are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
- Confectioner’s sugar, as needed for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- On low speed add the flour, salt and pecans; mix until combined.
- Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Cool 5 minutes then roll in sugar. Cool completely and roll in confectioners sugar again.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-6 days.
29 Comments
Barbara
December 18, 2016 at 9:12 pmYum. Made some last week. I’d forgotten how good they are. Thanks for the reminder.
Lindsey
December 20, 2016 at 7:41 pmI’m so glad!!! Positively addictive xoxoxoxo
Kathryn Mader
January 9, 2017 at 2:42 amHonestly, I think if I rotated between chocolate chip cookies and some type of wedding cookie (can’t wait to try your pecan puffs), I would be happy forever…with a few of your other choice cookie recipes thrown in from time to time, just to shake things up a tad. I hope you have a wonderful 2017. This is a bold statement, but of all the blogs I have followed (and loved some of them), yours is my absolute favorite. There is plenty of talent out there, but you have a whimsical charm and darling sense of humor that is so pleasing and comfortable, and it sets you apart. You are down to earth, which makes you relatable. I earmark so many of your recipes (pie, anyone?) that I will love to make one day. THANK YOU for all your efforts and expertise to encourage me in my kitchen. God bless you in everything, Lindsey and I would love to meet you someday. So if you write a cookbook and have a signing, I will show up! Take care!
Lindsey
January 18, 2017 at 1:14 pmHi Kathryn! What a wonderful, heartwarming comment! Thank you so much Kathryn for being such a loyal reader and commenter! It is for readers and bakers like you that I do this! It is a lot of work (along with my other job) and it brings me such joy to hear that you love the blog and the recipes! I would love to meet you as well! I would love to write a cookbook one day but until then I am the pastry chef at Restaurant Marc Forgione in NYC in case you happen to find yourself in the city! God bless you as well and I am wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017! Best, Lindsey
Monica
January 10, 2017 at 1:04 amThis recipe is a variation of Joy of Cooking’s Pecan Puffs. The name is from that book. I believe you should give her credit.
Lindsey
January 18, 2017 at 1:10 pmHi Monica! Thank you for your comment. I got the recipe from my (now deceased) grandmother and so I just credited her. It is hard to find the origins of heirloom recipes! I have a vintage Joy of Cooking and I did, indeed, find “Pecan Puffs”. It seems that the recipe is the same except for my grandmother reduced the pecans by half…economical as always! Happy baking!
STL Food
January 29, 2017 at 4:27 pmWow. These sound delicious! I can’t wait to try out this recipe. Thanks!
Jan
March 6, 2017 at 10:39 amBeautiful, sweet, comforting, and so yummy. I’m in. Thank you and have a pleasant day !
Mary France
March 28, 2017 at 3:00 pmLove this!
Lindsey
May 9, 2017 at 12:07 pmThank you, Mary Frances!
Julio
June 7, 2017 at 1:52 amThere is nothing more satisfying that a couple of pecan puffs and a glass of cold milk. And of course in great company of family and friends.
Catering Den Haag
June 6, 2017 at 6:06 amThis looks incredible! Yum!
Norma
October 5, 2017 at 2:39 amAmazing looks perfect added this recipe to my Christmas checklist will prepare it definetly.
Lindsey
October 6, 2017 at 9:38 pmYou won’t regret it, Norma!
Laura
December 10, 2017 at 4:50 pmThis recipe says 45 minutes is that correct? I’m afraid I’ll burn them. Please confirm for me. Thank you
Lindsey
December 26, 2017 at 11:05 pmHi Laura, It is 45 because the oven temperature is only 300 degrees and the puffs are cold from the refrigerator. you can bake them hotter for less time but watch them! You just want the outsides to be a golden brown.
Laura
December 10, 2017 at 4:51 pm45 minutes is that correct?
Lindsey
December 26, 2017 at 10:54 pmHi Laura, Yes because the oven is at 300 degrees. YOu could probably bake them at 350 for around 15, but I haven’t tried it with this particular recipe. I have with my walnut balls
Debbie Moore
December 27, 2017 at 2:59 pmYes!
Debbie Moore
December 27, 2017 at 2:59 pmPecan puffs of been a tradition of mine since my grandmother used to make them every Christmas! And now my daughters are making them also as a tradition of theirs. But…….I hate to tell you this, but it was not your grandmothers cute little name. I have my grandmothers old JOY of COOKING circa 1931 book and they are called Pecan Puffs in that book. Not sure when they started to be called Mexican wedding cookies I don’t know who created them first. All I know is that I love them and will have them every year in honor of my grandmother! 🙂
Lindsey
December 27, 2017 at 11:51 pmPerhaps that is where she got the recipe! I love them too!
Hester
September 4, 2018 at 3:07 pmI have been making these for over 40 years. Now my son and his girl friend want me to make them for their wedding. What I would like to know is how I can make them early and keep them fresh for the wedding day. They want at least 24 dozen because there is going to be at least 100 guest at their wedding. Any help would be appreciated!
Lindsey
October 4, 2018 at 5:35 pmHi Hester! I suggest freezing them! Then after thawing roll in confectioner sugar again for the white outside. Happy baking! And congratulations to your son!
Isabela
April 22, 2020 at 7:06 amCan I freeze the left over mix (uncooked)??
Lindsey
April 22, 2020 at 7:55 amAbsolutely! But you can also freeze the baked cookies:-)
Isabela
April 22, 2020 at 8:22 amYeih!!! Just made them! They are absolutely incredible!!! Tks so much
Lindsey
April 22, 2020 at 8:23 amGreat! Thank you for stopping by Isabela! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Isabela
May 15, 2020 at 8:01 amThey are soooo sooo good! I’m making them again. Do you think I can make them with whole wheat flour?
Lindsey
May 15, 2020 at 1:32 pmI’m so glad! I definitely do! Whole wheat flour does need more moisture than AP so if they won’t hold together, just add a bit more butter.