Christmas Pecan Meltaway Cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• ½ cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, very well drained

For the White Topping

• 2 cups white chocolate chips or vanilla almond bark
• 1 tablespoon shortening or coconut oil, optional
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, well drained

Instructions

1. Prepare the cherries:
   Drain the maraschino cherries extremely well. Pat them dry with paper towels before chopping. Excess moisture can make the cookies too soft.
2. Make the dough:
   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients:
   Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing just until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans and chopped cherries.
4. Chill:
   Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. This makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies keep their shape.
5. Shape the cookies:
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 tablespoon each, and place them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball into a thick round.
6. Bake:
   Bake for 10–13 minutes, just until the edges are very lightly golden. Don’t overbake—the cookies should stay pale and tender.
7. Cool completely:
   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
8. Make the topping:
   Melt the white chocolate or vanilla almond bark according to package directions. If it’s too thick, stir in a little shortening or coconut oil.
9. Decorate:
   Spoon or spread a thin layer of melted white chocolate over each cooled cookie. Immediately sprinkle with chopped pecans and tiny pieces of maraschino cherry.
10. Set:
    Allow the topping to completely firm up before storing.

 Yield

Approximately 45–55 cookies, depending on size.

For a 400-Cookie Christmas Batch

If you’re making these for your usual huge Christmas batch, multiply everything by approximately 8:

• 8 cups butter
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 8 teaspoons vanilla
• 16 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 8 cups pecans
• 4 cups chopped cherries
• 16 cups white chocolate/almond bark

Tip:

For a batch this large, make the dough in several smaller batches rather than trying to mix all 400 cookies at once. It makes the texture much more consistent.

Storage:

Keep completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5–7 days, or freeze them for longer storage. Separate layers with parchment paper.

ENJOY