Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hr

　　Egg whites give these addictive cookies — a variation on macaroons — their light, airy texture.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 42 cookies

　　6 oz pecans (1 1/2 cups)

　　1 cup sugar

　　1/4 cup potato starch

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　Scant 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

　　3 large egg whites, lightly beaten

　　

Special Equipment

parchment paper

　　

Step 1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

Coarsely chop 1 cup pecans and set aside. Pulse remaining 1/2 cup pecans in a food processor with sugar, potato starch, salt, and cinnamon until finely ground (be careful not to pulse to a paste), then stir into egg whites. Stir in remaining cup chopped pecans.

　　

Step 3

Drop 1/2 tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on baking sheet and bake until cookies are lightly browned and slightly puffed, 15 to 17 minutes. Slide parchment onto a rack and cool cookies completely (cookies will crisp as they cool), then remove from paper. Bake and cool 2 more parchment-lined sheets of cookies in same manner.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Cookies can be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.