Low-Carb Pecan Sandies

Martina SlajerovaUpdated 29 December 2022★★★★★5.0 (6 ratings)

Ready in 1h 30m
1.9 g net carbs
193 kcal
Serves 14

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Low-Carb Pecan Sandies (keto, grain-free, sugar-free)

These keto cookies are buttery and crisp with crunchy pecans, cinnamon and vanilla flavors. Also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, these Keto Pecan Sandies are the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or keto mocha.

Do these low-carb pecan sandies taste like the real deal? If you're expecting a crisp pecan cookie packed with flavor, then yes. But if you're looking for the perfect alternative that tastes just like the real deal, then I'd say no.

These cookies are nice and crisp but they lack the typical sand-like, fine texture that melts in your mouth. That's because we are not using flour. Instead, we are using almond flour that is naturally higher in fat, making the texture of these cookies more on the crisp-crunchy side.

How To Make Keto Pecan Sandies

To make Keto Pecan Sandies, you will start by creaming the butter with low-carb sweetener and vanilla. You'll then add the almond flour combined with vanilla, cinnamon, xanthan gum and salt. Once thick and sticky cookie dough is formed, shape into a long log. Chill to set and then slice into cookies.

To make these cookies nice and crisp and keep them pale rather than browned, you need to bake them on a low temperature setting for about 45 minutes. It may seem too low but remember, we are using nut flour which tends to brown a lot faster and contains more fat so we do need low temperature to achieve the best results.

What You Need to Make Keto Pecan Sandies

Making keto pecan sandies is easy! All you need is just a few low-carb ingredients.

Butter or palm shortening (sustainable sources) for a dairy-free option.
Low-carb sweetener. To keep these keto cookies nice and crisp, make sure to use Erythritol or Erythritol-based sweetener such as Swerve. Allulose is not a suitable sweetener as it would make these cookies too soft and they will brown faster so you would need to adjust the baking temperature. Brown sugar substitute can optionally be used to sprinkle on top of the cookies before baking.
Vanilla extract and cinnamon or vanilla bean powder for extra flavor.
Almond flour is the best options for crispy cookies. Do not use coconut flour as the cookies would have a dense texture. For a nut-free option you could try using ground sunflower seeds which typically work just as well as almond flour and can be used in the same ratio as almond flour.
Xanthan gum will improve the texture of these keto cookies as it will replace the missing gluten. Alternatively, you could swap xanthan gum with twice as much of glucomannan powder which will have similar effects. Xanthan gum can also be skipped although the raw dough may be harder to work with and the cookies will be crumblier.
Sea salt is a flavor enhancer that should be included in every cookie recipe! Without a good pinch of sea salt the flavors fall flat and the sweetness can sometimes be overpowering.
Pecans are the key ingredient in every pecan sandies recipe. If you don't have pecans, walnuts can be used as an alternative.

Step-by-step

Prepare all the ingredients. Cut the butter into pieces and let it come to room temperature. Chop the pecans into small pieces.
Place the butter in a bowl and add the granulated sweetener. Using an electric mixer (or a stand mixer), process until well combined.
Note: If using vanilla extract instead, add it to the butter.
In a bowl mix the almond flour with xanthan gum, cinnamon, salt and vanilla powder.
To the bowl with creamed butter, slowly add the almond flour mixture while beating and process until thick and sticky cookie dough is formed. Then add the chopped pecans and mix to combine.
Using your hands, form into a big ball. Transfer onto a piece of cling film and form into a log, about 25 cm (10 inch) long, wrapping it all around. Transfer into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, or place in the fridge for an hour or two, until firm.
Preheat the oven to 130 °C/ 265 °F (fan assisted), or 150 °C/ 300 °F (conventional). Remove the dough from the freezer and cut into 14 pieces, each about 1 ¹/₂ — 2 cm (¹/₂ — ³/₄ inch) thick.
Transfer the cookie slices onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave at least 2 cm (1 inch) between the cookies.
Note: Optionally you can sprinkle some brown sugar substitute on top of each cookie.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, turning the tray (not the cookies as they are fragile) once or twice to ensure even baking. We are baking these on low and slow so the cookies should only be lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool down completely before removing them from the tray. As the cookies cool, they will crisp up even more.
To keep these cookies fresh, store them at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe