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Christmas Sand Tarts are tasty little pecan butter cookies coated with sweet powdered sugar. These little walnut-sized cookies have a lovely balance of sweetness and nuttiness using only five simple ingredients, yielding two dozen!
The cookie dough is like a shortbread with finely chopped pecans added. The cookies are coated with confectioner’s sugar while they are still warm from the oven, and then again once they have cooled — making sure they are plenty sweet!
Why you’ll love this Sand Tarts Recipe!
Ingredient notes
- Butter | Give the cookies rich and creamy notes with unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar | The cookies are sweetened with confectioner’s sugar, then double coasted while still warm from the oven, and then again once they have cooled — making sure they are plenty sweet!
- Flour | Use sifted all-purpose flour to bring structure to the cookies.
- Pecans | The cookie dough is like a shortbread with the unique taste and texture of finely chopped pecans added.
How to make Sand Tart Cookies
Be the talk of the party when you bring pecan sand tarts to your next cookie swap or Halliday gathering!
STEP 1 | Preheat and prep
First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
STEP 2 | Make the dough
next, cream together butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in a stand mixer or with an electric mixer and a large mixing bowl. If possible, use the paddle attachment for easier mixing.
Then, combine the flour and ground pecans. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and mix on low until incorporated.
Step 3 | Shape dough and bake cookies
Now, shape the dough into small balls about the size of a walnut and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Then, Bake the cookies for 30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top.
tips
- For the perfect texture of the original recipe for pecan cookies, ensure the nuts are crushed into fine crumbs.
- Using a small cookie scoop helps ensure all the dough balls are the same size.
- Sifting the powdered sugar before rolling the warm cookies is crucial to keep the sugar from clumping.
STEP 4 | Roll cookies, cool, and enjoy!
While the Sand Tarts are still warm from the oven, roll each cookie in a bowl of powdered sugar. Allow to cool, and then, for good measure, roll them in powdered sugar again to guarantee a good coating of sweetness.
That’s all there is to it! Serve fresh or store in an airtight container for later.
If you’re a pecan fan, you probably already know how delicious they are in cookies and other desserts! For more tasty pecan cookie recipes, try my Pecan Candy Cookies and Caramel Pecan Thumbprint Cookies.
What our readers have to say…
These Sand Tarts are the most delicious cookies I’ve ever made! They’re crumbly and sweet! I replaced the pecans with chocolate chips (my younger brother isn’t fond of nuts) and it worked very well!
— Judith
Variations and substitutions
- Try Other Nuts. If you’d like, try this recipe with walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
- Toasted Pecans. Try toasting the pecans before adding them to the recipe, boosting the flavor!
- Spiced Pecan Cookies. For more seasonal flair, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Roll Dough in Pecans. Make more chopped pecans and roll the dough in it before baking for an extra toasty twist.
Storage tips
Freezing the dough: an excellent meal prep Jack for this recipe is to freeze the cookie dough up to one month ahead of time. Shape the recipe into a ball of dough, then flatten it into one large disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and seal it in a freezer-safe bag. When ready to serve, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight, let it come to room temperature, then bake as directed.
Freezing the baked cookies: You can also freeze the pecan sand tarts after they’ve been baked. Place the cookies in a bag for up to three months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge, and enjoy the next day!
Frequently asked questions
Keep in mind that this dough is already more crumbly and dry than typical sugar cookie dough. If the dough is too crumbly to press firmly into a ball, you may want to add some moisture by flicking it with small amounts of water and then work it in. Be careful not to use more than two tablespoons of water.
The beginnings of sand tarts are unknown. Some say it was an Americanized version of a German dessert, while others claim the recipe was created in different countries.
There are so many names for this delicious recipe! You may better know by a different name, like Snowball Cookies, Powdered Sugar Cookies, Pecan Snowball Cookies, Pecan Sandies, Wedding Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, Danish Wedding Cookies, Butterballs, Melting Moments, Southern Tea Cakes, or Russian Tea Cakes.
The lack of eggs and finely chopped nuts give this cookie a crunchier texture, rather than chewy, like classic sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookies. They’re more like a shortbread, with a crunchy bite and melt-way effect.
Looking for more Christmas Cookies?
Buttery pecan cookies are perfect for cookie swaps! Here are a few more ideas for your next holiday cookie platter- try my Chewy Ginger Cookies, packed with seasonal flavor, traditional Sugar Vanilla Bean Cookies with frosty-white icing, fun Chocolate Christmas Pinwheel Cookies, and decadent Gingerbread Kiss Cookies— Yum!
Serving suggestions
The cookies would pair beautifully with this Cranberry Fluff, a creamy fruit salad. Or serve your sand tarts recipe with a scoop of homemade Peach Ice Cream or festive Peppermint Ice Cream.
Behind the recipe: Christmas Sand Tarts Recipe
This recipe was first introduced to me by a friend at work who would bring these cookies to share with our office every Christmas. It’s become a holiday tradition to make cookies, and they are always a hit!
Truthfully, though, the fond memories of making our favorite recipes and sharing them with the ones we love make the family tradition special.
Baking cookies to give away to friends and neighbors is one of my Christmas traditions. Every year, I have difficulty deciding what cookies to make, but these nutty Sand Tarts never disappoint!
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Sand Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted, for coating cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a stand mixer, cream together butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Add flour and pecans and mix on low until incorporated.
- Shape dough into small balls about the size of a walnut and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 30 minutes.
- While cookies are still hot, roll in a bowl of sifted powdered sugar. Let cookies cool, then roll again in the powdered sugar. Store in airtight container.
Notes
-
- For the perfect texture of the original recipe for pecan cookies, ensure the nuts are crushed into fine crumbs.
- Using a small cookie scoop helps ensure all the dough balls are the same size.
- Sifting the powdered sugar before rolling the warm cookies is crucial to keep the sugar from clumping.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
These cookies were so good and you are right they are the perfect cookies for sending in the mail. Happy Holidays
Allie, so glad you liked them! A very Merry Christmas to you!
I’m so Happy to find your recipe! My mom gave the recipe and lost it . This is amazing. It’s exactly what’s on the 3×5 Card from 40 year ago. Now for the New Year 2018 , I can finally make this Sand Tart Cookies. She also gave me a recipe for Unforgettable Cookies but lost that as well. It’s Egg White , Semi Chocolate Chips. I believe heat the oven at 350 ? Not sure what else goes with the recipe. I’m truly disappointed because She gave it to me before she passed on 2012. Been looking all over the Kitchen Drawers etc. But at least I got the Sand Tart . It’s the best Cookies. It’s hard to make without the mixer but I try my best to do it with my hands.
Thanks for the uplifting recipe! Now I can finally make them
Happy New Year ✨
May all your Wishes comes true
My mother’s Forgotten Cookie recipe (50+ years she made them.)
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup nuts, chocolate chips, or diced cherries
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites til stiff. Add salt. Gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff like meringue. Fold in nuts or other combination of items. Drop by spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Place in oven and turn off oven. Leave for one hour.
They are called “forgotten cookies.” If you Google, you will find the recipe!!
meringue kisses from a a old fashioned baker 72
Merry Christmas, and hope you enjoyed the cookies!
Thank you, Alice! They were wonderful! Happy New Year to you!
How long will sand tarts stay fresh? Can they be frozen?
What is the difference between these Sand Tart cookies and Russian Teacake cookies? The pictures here are lovely.
Rebekah, I have never tried Russian Teacake cookies, so I’m not familiar enough to answer your question. Thank you for reading and for the encouragement on my photos 🙂
These are the most delicious cookies I’ve ever made! They’re crumbly and sweet! I replaced the pecans with chocolate chips (my younger brother isn’t fond of nuts) and it worked very well!
Is it salted or unsalted butter
I use unsalted butter regularly.
I underbaked my sand tart cookies! They already have powdered sugar on them. Is there anything i can do to save them?
I’m not sure how to fix that problem exactly, but you could try baking a few of them for 5 to 10 more minutes and see if that works. Of course, you would roll them again in the powdered sugar while they are still warm. Let me know if that works!
One of my grade school mothers gave my mom a recipe for sand tart that were crescent shaped cookies. Mom passed the recipe along to me and it’s been lost for many years. Going to try this recipe. Can you use salted butter?
Anne, my preference is for unsalted butter, but if salted is all you have I believe it should work. Happy New Year!
The original recipe calls for cake flour not A/P. Mix and shape the dough and freeze bake when needed. Don’t freeze over 2 month. ice crystals form. bake at 350. chill dough before baking. These cookies hold up for nearly 3 weeks after baking.
Wow, they’re good old-fashioned cookies! Love the recipe. Thank you!
With the amount of butter in this recipe there is no need of parchment paper or a silicone mat. I’ve been making these for almost 50 years.
I’ve never used almond flour but was given some to try. Can I substitute almond flour for AP flour?
Richele, I really don’t have much experience baking with almond flour, so I’m not sure how the substitution would work.
im planning on making for my large family for Christmas and am wondering many cookies in one batch?
Hi, Kelly. You should get 2 dozen cookies for each recipe batch.
Love them
Made them…love them❤️