Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies are thick, puffy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, jammed with toasted pecans, and slathered in rich butter icing! These Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies are super simple to whip up and are *seriously* special. They’ll quickly rise on your list of fave cookies!
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Yessssss…. another Amish Sugar Cookies recipe. Sorry, not sorry. Amish Sugar Cookies are the best, and my love of that specific sugar cookie recipe has inspired many offshoots, including today’s Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies.
Why do I love Amish Sugar Cookies anyway? Even in their pure, unadulterated, without icing or frosting, without “add-ins” like nuts and stuff… they’re perfect. Because they’re soft, puffy, buttery, rich, and they literally melt-in-your-mouth.
Also, they’re ridiculously easy to make, and they only require basic pantry ingredients. They’re amazing in plain form, without any adornments.
In some ways, they remind me a lot of cut-out cookies in taste and texture. But obviously, without the hassle of rolling out dough and digging out your cookie cutters. All the benefits of cut-outs, but at a fraction of the work.
Yet, they’re also incredibly versatile. Although they’re amazing in plain form, they’re also terrific when dressed up and madeover. Enter: these Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies.
I have a soft spot for this particular version right now, although I love many of the other versions I’ve made as well (I’m looking at you Cherry Almond Amish Sugar Cookies!). The cookie part itself reminds me a lot of pecan sandies. Less crunchy and softer than the shortbread-likeness of pecan sandies, but similar.
Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies are also thicker and puffier. They’re just lighter overall. But the buttery richness, flakiness, and toasted pecan goodness is all there.
What really seals the deal for me is the butter icing. HELLO. It is pretty insane. It’s basically just a regular ol’ vanilla icing, nothing extraordinary until….. butter extract. That is some magical stuff.
When you’re in the baking aisle and you’re poking around at the spices and extracts, maybe just perusing as one does in the baking aisle (normal, right??), do not pass over the butter extract.
It makes things have butter flavor, obviously, but it’s more than that. It inexplicably does more to the cookie and the icing than just add butter flavor. Manages not to be artificial-tasting either. I love it.
While these Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies currently have a strong hold on my heart, I’ve loved many an Amish Sugar Cookies variation before them, and here’s a bunch of other options:
For springtime and summer, these Iced Almond Amish Sugar Cookies are gorgeous, and the almond flavor is so incredible. Same with these Toasted Coconut Amish Sugar Cookies. So pretty, and soooo addictive. I adore citrus cookies, so if you’re the same, check out these Iced Lemon Amish Sugar Cookies and Iced Orange Amish Sugar Cookies.
I made a few that are great for fall/holidays, like these Pumpkin Spice Latte Amish Sugar Cookies, these Iced Chai-Spiced Amish Sugar Cookies, and these Peppermint Amish Sugar Cookies.
For any ol’ time at all, these Thin Crispy Amish Sugar Cookies are delightful, and we love to dunk them in coffee or milk. Same with these Chocolate Chip Amish Sugar Cookies. And these Iced Vanilla Amish Sugar Cookies are a classic! Can’t go wrong with Pecan Praline Amish Sugar Cookies or Iced Maple Amish Sugar Cookies. Omg, don’t you love an iced maple cookie??
Which will you try first?? Make one single batch, and Amish Sugar Cookies are practically guaranteed to be your new favorite cookie.
Butter Pecan Amish Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For cookies:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp. butter extract
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cream of tartar
- 2 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans toasted, divided
For topping:
- 4 tbsp. butter melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. butter extract
- 1/4 cup + 1-2 tbsp. whole milk or heavy cream
- 4 - 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 - 2 drops yellow food coloring optional
- 1/2 cup remaining toasted pecans garnish
Instructions
For cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until combined.
- Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and butter extract.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
- In two additions, add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Dough will be soft and almost fluffy.
- Fold in 2 cups pecans, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets.
- Bake at 375 for 8-11 minutes, or until edges and bottoms are lightly browned.
- Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For topping:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, vanilla extract, butter extract, and 1/4 cup milk or cream.
- Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, mixing until smooth.
- Add additional milk or powdered sugar, as needed, to achieve a thick, but spreadable consistency. It should be thicker than a glaze, and it shouldn't run off the cookie, but should be easily spreadable. It's an icing that sets, so if it's getting too thick as it sits, or you notice it's becoming harder to spread, you can pop it in the microwave for 5-6 seconds - that's ALL it takes - a few seconds will thin it back out again.
- Add food coloring, if desired.
- Ice the cookies generously, sprinkle with pecans for garnish, and allow to set.
- Store cookies in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Stack cookies with parchment paper or foil in-between layers. Cookies will keep for about a week.
Notes
This is one of the best blogs I have read on this topic.