Grandma Arfsten's Pecan Cookies

Grandma Arfsten's Old-Fashioned Pecan Cookies

There's something special about making a recipe that's been passed down through generations. These old-fashioned pecan cookies came from my great-great-grandmother, who lived in Germany, and have been a part of our family ever since!

My grandma always kept a jar of these cookies in her pantry. I love that something as simple as a cookie can bring back so many memories and help us feel connected to people who came before us.

Some of my kids never had the chance to meet my grandmother, but when we make these cookies together, I get to share a little piece of her with them. And I think that's one of the sweetest things about passing down family recipes!

These thin, crispy yet soft, old-fashioned pecan cookies are made with simple pantry ingredients, including chopped pecans, brown sugar, and vanilla. The dough is rolled into logs, chilled, and sliced thin before baking. You can even freeze the dough to bake another day!

If you love finding ways to connect your kids with their family history, be sure to read my post about Día de Los Muertos traditions and meaningful ways to remember our ancestors. It's full of simple ideas for keeping family stories alive. Or listen to this podcast: Doing Family History In Your Own Unique Way with Diana Elder & Nicole Dyer from Family Locket (Episode #177), for even more ideas!

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Grandma Arfsten’s Pecan Cookies

ingredients:

1 1/8 cup flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup crisco shortening

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup pecan pieces (or chopped pecans)

Homemade old-fashioned pecan cookies stacked on a vintage cut-glass plate, showing their golden edges and chopped pecan pieces.

Directions:

Cream together 1/2 cup shortening, egg, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda. Mix in 1 1/8 cup flour. Stir in 1/2 cup pecan pieces.

Roll dough into 2 long rolls of dough. Pop in the freezer for 10-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice dough into very thin slices and place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-11 minutes.

Dough can also be frozen for later use.