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Courtesy of Elizabeth Faulkner Ingredients 2 cups (8 ounces) powdered sugar sifted
plus 1/2 to 3/4 cup for coating the cookies
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons water
2 cups (1l0 ounce) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup (4 ounces) cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (4 ounces) finely ground toasted pecans from about 1-1/4 cups
pecan halves. Instructions Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar for coating into a shallow bowl or plate and pour the granulated sugar into another shallow bowl or plate. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, cream together the butter and the 2 cups powdered sugar for about 3 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy either by hand or using a mixer. Add the vanilla and water and stir just until combined. Add the flour, cornstarch, salt and pecans and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Here comes the only trick to making this cookie: use a light touch when shaping the dough. Lightly press the crumbly chunks of dough together between your palms to form balls the size of walnuts, being careful not to compact them. Don't try to form perfect, smooth little globes. You want to push the dough together just enough so the balls hold their shape. The looser the dough balls, the lighter the cookie. As the balls are formed, set them aside on a baking sheet or tray. When all of the balls have been formed, roll each ball first in the granulated sugar and then in the powdered sugar and place on the prepared pans, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Don't throw out the powdered sugar yet, as you will give the cookies one final roll in it after they have been baked and cooled. Bake the cookies, rotating the pans after about 7 minutes, for 14 to 18 minutes, or until lightly golden and just beginning to show cracks. While the cookies are baking, clean any dough crumbs out of your bowl of powdered sugar. If the powdered sugar seems low, add the remaining 1/4 cup to the bowl. You will have powdered sugar left over in the bowl when you finish, but having a good amount will make it easier to give the cookies the final coat. When the cookies are done, let them cool completely on the pans on the cooling racks. Some people like to transfer the cookies to racks, but I generally just let the cookies cool on the parchment. If you feel the cookies might be over baked, slide the parchment onto the rack so that cookies cool a little faster. When completely cool, roll them gently in the powdered sugar one last time. These cookies have the best texture the day they are made. They are fragile, so store them on a plate instead of a cookie jar, and eat them within 24 hours.
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