Sandies

Sandies are buttery nut cookies with a soft, sandy bite. That crumble gives them the name. Each one melts on the tongue and finishes with toasted nuts.

Nut flour carries the flavor. Pecans and almonds both shine here. A little brown sugar deepens the toast.

One dough takes many shapes. Scoop it into balls and roll them in sugar or chopped nuts. Pipe it into swirls. Or roll it into logs, chill, and slice.

A roll in sugar is the classic finish. Press a nut onto the top, or leave them plain and let the butter carry the bite.

Prep the work area first. Clean every surface and measure out all the ingredients. Gather the shared tools: the mixing bowl, a hand mixer, a spatula to scrape down the sides, and a lined baking sheet. Heat the oven to 325°F.

Then grab the tool for the chosen shape:

Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to a medium bowl. Cream them with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until everything works in, and scrape down the sides along the way.

Add the flour and nut flour. Mix until the dough turns smooth and a little damp.

Now match the dough to the shape. Keep it soft to scoop or pipe. To slice from a log, roll the dough into a log, wrap it, and chill it firm.

To scoop, portion the soft dough into balls with the scoop. Roll each ball in sugar or chopped nuts. Set them on the lined sheet and press each one lightly flat.

To pipe, move the soft dough into a piping bag and cut a small hole at the bottom. Pipe swirls or lines onto the lined sheet. Press a nut onto each one for decoration.

To slice, unwrap the chilled log and cut it into rounds. Set the rounds on the lined sheet.

Slide the sheet into the oven for twelve to fifteen minutes. Pull the cookies out once the edges turn a light golden brown.