Active Time

　　30 min

　　Total Time

　　2 hr

　　This recipe is among those that reach a new level when made with sea salt and high-quality, European-style butter (like Plugrá).

　　Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 32 cookies

　　3/4 cup pecans (3 oz), toasted and cooled, plus about 32 pecan halves (3 oz)

　　2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

　　1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla

　　1 large egg, separated

　　

Special Equipment

a 2-inch round cookie cutter

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

Pulse toasted pecans with 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.

　　

Step 3

Beat together butter, remaining 2/3 cup confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and beat well. Add flour and ground-pecan mixture and mix at low speed until just combined, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Dough will be crumbly but will hold together when squeezed.)

　　

Step 4

Halve dough and roll out 1 half between 2 sheets of wax paper until 1/4 inch thick (about a 9-inch round). Cut out as many rounds as possible with cookie cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on buttered large baking sheets, reserving scraps. Roll out and cut remaining dough in same manner. Gather scraps, then reroll and cut in same manner.

　　

Step 5

Beat egg white until frothy, then brush tops of rounds lightly with egg white. Put a pecan half on top of each round, then brush pecan lightly with egg white.

　　

Step 6

Bake cookies in middle of oven until tops are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.