Sand Tarts…what can I say…they are my favorite cookie ever! I always bake them over the holidays, so they have become a tradition in our home. Back in the 80’s my co workers and I work often ate lunch at Frost Bros. (a department store that has since closed) on Shepherd Drive. They would serve little buttery biscuits to start and sand tarts to end your meal in this tea room. We finally asked for the recipe and the rest is history.
Easy list of ingredients. You need to soften your butter overnight. Even you can find chopped pecans, you will need to chop them finer.
I love my nut chopper… I bought it at Bering’s Hardware. (They also have them on Amazon.) My mother also had one, and once you make these cookies and get addicted, you will probably want one as well. The pecans must be chopped finely, since the cookies are really small you need small pieces of pecans. It important to measure the pecans once chopped, and not measure a cup of pecans and then chop them.
Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together.
Add 4 tablespoons powdered sugar to 1 cup ( 2 sticks) of softened butter. I let the butter sit overnight in a large bowl.
Once you have creamed the powdered sugar with the butter, slowly add the flour.
Once about half your flour has been mixed, in add your vanilla. Then incorporate the rest of the flour.
The mixture is so thick at this point you need to mix the pecans in by hand. The mixer can not handle this step.
The mixture is rather thick, but do not worry.
Roll dough into 1” balls. This is important, do not be tempted to make bigger balls. They need to be small and bite size. The cookies do not really spread while cooking, so you can place them about 2” apart. The recipe makes 5 dozen cookies, and my pan can hold 4 dozen. When I was working on my blog, I decided to add the remaining dough to make just 4 dozen so I could cook them all on one pan. They did not turn out as good. They need to be small and bite size and the larger ones did not have the right powdered sugar to cookie ratio.
Gently mash the cookies slightly flat with a gentle touch.
Cookies are ready to bake. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes till lightly browned. It takes my oven 18 minutes, but check on them in 15.
While cookies are baking, sift 2 cups of powdered sugar in medium bowl.
My beautiful powdered sugar mountain!
As you can see, my cookies have a slight golden color. Set up a station with the baked cookies, the sugar and a plate to place them on.
Once the cookies are removed from the oven, coat the cookies in powdered sugar. It is important to coat the cookies while they are still warm. Sometimes I sprinkle extra powdered sugar on the cookies once I have coated them all.
To transfer the cookies it is best to use a spatula. If you pick them up with your hands, your fingers will tend to remove the powdered sugar from the cookie.
I dare you to eat just one!
SAND TART RECIPE
SERVES: Makes 4 dozen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
preparation
Put 2 sticks of butter in large bowl, and let soften overnight.
Heat oven to 375.
Finely chop pecans to measure one cup.
Sift together flour, salt and baking powder into small bowl.
Add 4 tablespoons powdered sugar to butter and mix to combine.
Slowly add in flour mixture. Add vanilla about half way through adding the flour mixture and mix till combined.
Since the mixture is thick, add the chopped nuts by hand.
Make 1” balls and place 2” apart on a cookie sheet.
Gently mash the cookies slightly flat.
Bake 15-20 minutes, till light golden brown.
While the cookies are baking, sift 2 cups of powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
Gently coat the cookies in the powdered sugar while the cookies are warm.
Once all the cookies are coated you can sprinkle extra powdered sugar on all the cookies to make them even more beautiful.