It doesn’t happen around here much, but I have a recipe for you today. A Christmas cookie recipe – Pecan Cherry Cookies to be exact, and boy are they good!
It is the second week of December and in my house that means one thing – time to bake – bake Christmas cookies for my friend Karen’s annual cookie exchange party. Over the years, this party has become more about getting together with good friends than the cookies – but who doesn’t like Christmas cookies? They seem to be everywhere – even in the latest issue of Ladies Home Journal with Ina Garten on the cover?
Did you see the article? I would have loved to been one of the bloggers invited to her home in East Hampton, NY for a recent cookie exchange that was featured in the magazine. Looks like they had a good time. (If you are new to my blog – Ina is my favorite, even though I don’t enjoy cooking – I love her and her style. You could call me one of Ina’s non-foodie groupies – big time!)
Back to my reality and my friend Karen’s cookie exchange party. In previous years, I have made cut out, iced, sprinkled, and even pretzel reindeers for the annual cookie exchange. None of them matched my expectations, but when I presented them in a pretty way, it made up for my lack of baking perfection.
This year I have decided – refrigerator cookies are just my style – they are homemade and delicious, but don’t require a lot of time and fuss. What Ina is all about, right?
These are not one of Ina’s recipes, but one that Karen made for her party a few years ago. My family loved them dunked in a tall glass of cold milk and since then they have become a holiday staple in my house.
I received an email a few weeks ago from Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms inviting me to enter their Most Dunkable Cookie Contest. I decided why not go for it since I am going to be making cookies any way. My youngest is home and between she and Ed, they can go through a few gallons of this milk a week. Milk and cookies – nothing could be better.
I tweaked the recipe a little by rolling them in sanding sugar before baking instead of rolling in powered sugar after baking – they are just as good and dunkable either way. (Sanding sugar is the colored sugar used to embellish baked goods. It comes in lots of different colors. I used clear/white. You can buy it at any grocery store in basic colors. There is a store near me that sells it in every imaginable color and different size granule’s.)
Pecan Cherry Dunkers
These are so easy to make – mix all the ingredients and then roll into logs and refrigerate. When chilled, all that is left to do is slice and bake. Cut them about ¼” thick – perfect for dunking into a cold glass of milk or hot coffee or tea.
Printable .pdf of recipe: Pecan Cherry Dunkers
Gather the ingredients: 1 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 cup chopped pecans, 2 cups candied cherries, 2 cups sanding sugar.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the egg, flour, and vanilla.
Add the pecans and cherries.
Cut dough into thirds and roll each into a log. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Once chilled, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Roll the edges or entire slice into sanding sugar.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes on the middle oven rack.
A Plateful of Pecan Cherry Cookies Just in Time for Christmas.
Now, I just have to hide them so we don’t eat them all before the cookie exchange party later in the week.
Hi there! Don’t know if this has been mentioned yet but how many cookies does this make?
Hi Cari – I got the recipe for these from a friend who has an annual cookie exchange party and copied the recipe as she wrote it. She didn’t include the amount on the recipe card. The amount of cookies depends on how large you form the dough into logs and how thick you cut them. When I make the recipe I get about 3 1/2 dozen. When my daughter makes them – hers are larger – she gets about 2 dozen. I will add this to the post. Happy Holidays
These look marvelous and I would like to try with almonds and candied cherries, maybe even adding some amaretto flavoring, in place of vanilla.
They look delicious! Well that’s my daughter-mother project sorted for today, thanks!
I have all my Mom’s cookie cutters. I cherish them and use them every Christmas Season. I use them with my grandkids now and they love to bake and decorate the cut-out cookies. I would love to win your Fall cookie cutters. Thanks for the chance to win.
This cookie recipe is perfect for Christmas. The colors are just right for the holidays. I can’t wait to try this one and the rest of your other recipes.
Hi, i will love to make this cookies as a gift for my coworkers, can you please describe the textur after baking, can i make the dough in advance. Thank you
Hi Cynthia – Yes you can make the dough in advance since it has to be refrigerated first anyway. The dough can stay in there for awhile until you are ready to slice and bake. The texture is not soft nor rock hard – just in between – like the store bought cookies called – Pecan Sandies.
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer me and for your patience,i will be making this cookies today, lets see …wish me luck… a let you know. once again thank you ..
Hi, I just to let you know that i made this recipe .
My family love them … so I made
them as a gift for my coworkers.. of course
i include a gif tag with the name of your blog
in reference of where I get the recipe….
they didn’t turn out in a perfect round log shape like yours but …
my family didn’t care .. i think they didn’t notice because
they turn out so good…. they just grab them from
the plate and of course mouth full … who speak..jaja..
thank you for sharing this recipe
(i have some pictures but dont know how to uploaded to you)
Those cookies look absolutely yummy. Since we grow walnuts, I think I’ll try them in place of the pecans, too. And, yes, I do collect cookie cutter.
These look good.
I am always happy to see anything Ina.
Diane,
These look AMAZING! Thank you so much for sending me the recipe! Anything by Ina is the best in my book!
blessings,
karianne
Cookie cutters are fun and the grandkids just love cutout cookies, so yes I like cookie cutters
Hi Rae –
Congratulations! You won a set of the fall cookie cutters that I was giving away. If you send me your mailing address, I will make sure they get mailed to you. Happy Holidays!
These look delicious! Have you done fresh cherries or dried cherries ever? And what about almonds instead of pecans? Maybe I’m just crazy??
Well, it will be my 1st attempt at xmas baking………….this looks sooooooo yummy!
I liked the Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms FB page- they actually have some good info there…Thanks!
Wow! All these years I have avoided candied cherries but these are now on my list. Just too beautiful to resist!
Hi Lori – Congratulations! You won a set of the fall cookie cutters that I was giving away. If you send me your mailing address, I will make sure they get to you. Happy Holidays
Oh Thanks so much! I am so in love with these!! Yay!
What delectable looking cookies! I love cherry. Ok, I am going to have to make these but find out what sanding sugar is first! Thanks Diane!
Wow, these reminded me of Christmases with my Grandmama. I could almost taste these just looking at them! She would always allow us to “help” though I’m sure four girls were NO help. But she always had patience in making her cookies. she made these with just the pecans and they are great that way too! I’d long since lost the recipe so this is a Christmas present for me!! Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays to all!
Thanks so much for making available a printable pdf of this recipe!
Gonna have to try these Diane! They look delicious and so pretty.
Would love to win the cookie cutters-I have quite a collection and would love this addition! The Peacan Cherry Dunkers look delish!
Yum yum! Be sure to share the fun with a photo of the cookie party yet to come! Can’t wait.
I’d love to have the cookie cutters. They would also make fun Christmas ornaments – just add ribbon :). Please enter me for a chance to win.
Okay,these cookies look irresistable! I may need to buy another gallon of milk:)
We like the flavors of cherries and pecans. I will make a batch or two soon. Thanks for the give a way. I hope I win!
I liked Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms on Facebook. Love the cookie cutters, too!
Cherries and pecans!!! A winning combination in my book!
These cookies look wonderful. I’m going to make them. One question, What is sanding sugar?
These look very dunk able! I love cut out cookies, they are my family’s favorite!
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Your cookies look delicious! I love cookie cutters. I have a small collection that I’ve gathered over the years. Sanding sugar? Gotta google that.
I use cookie cutters a lot during holidays. Making sugar cookies with them at Christmas is one of our family traditions. These for Fall are adorable… I’d love to have them.
Your cookie recipe looks delish and I love the cookie cutters–so cute! Thank you for offering this giveaway.
Hi Athena – Congratualations! You won a set of the fall cookie cutters that I was giving away. If you send me your mailing address, I will make sure they get sent to you. Happy Holidays
Thank you so much, Diane! I sent you my address!
I just spent hours looking at cookie recipes online and then checked my email…there was the perfect recipe. Thanks so much for sharing. They look marvelous. I’ll make them tomorrow and make lots of folks very happy.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Your Secret’s out! I know what cookie you are bringing! You are right about my cookie exchange….the cookies are great but it is the company that is the best! See you soon.
My grandson, Casey, would love to bake cookies with his Gahmee! Thanks for the giveaway! Please count me in. In everything, give thanks, GrandmaSoucie
These cookies look yummy–and definitely something I’d like to try. (I, too, need to look up “sanding sugar.”)
And I love the pretty Fall cookie cutters.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Thank-You so much for a chance to win these Lovely Cookie Cutters!! I Love Old looking Cookie Cutters, and these would look so nice with some of my Antique styled ones!!!!
The Cookie Recipe which you posted looks so Yummy. I am going to save it and try these Cookies when I make my Massive Batches of Cookies in time for Christmas.
Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!! :-)
I love anything that you can roll into a log and bake as needed — but these look extra special because of the cherries and the sandy texture. Yum! Of course, there’s a time for cookie cutters too! Thanks for sharing…
Yum! The cookies sound delicious. I, too, am a HUGE fan of Ina Garten.
Given those beautiful photographs of your cookies, I would never guess that you did not like to cook! Such pretty pictures :)
I am excited to begin my holiday baking this weekend.
my husband will love these as he dearly craves cherry and pecans. will try soon and see if the hit the spot!
Yes, I love cookie cutters. I have many of my mother’s.
Those look amazing – so simple, and what gorgeous colors! Something refreshing after all the traditional cookies. I will definitely try after I google “Sanding Sugar” ;-) Thanks!