In our latest social media video, available on TikTok under “Cooking With Bruce & Mark,” as well as the Facebook group “Cooking With Bruce & Mark” and our own Instagram and Facebook feeds, we’re making pecan-heavy chocolate sandies, a dry nutty chocolate cookie that will satisfy all your pecan cravings!
Here’s the recipe:
Chocolate Sandies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
5 cups or 570 grams pecan pieces
2/3 cup or 135 grams granulated white or caster sugar
1½ or 180 grams cups all-purpose or plain flour
1/3 cup or 28 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup or 210 grams packed light brown sugar
4 ounces (½ cup) or 115 grams solid vegetable shortening, plus additional for greasing the baking sheets
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites, beaten in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons water until foamy
1. Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; heat it to 350F or 175C.
2. Grease two large baking sheets with shortening.
3. Place 2 cups or 230 grams of the pecans in a food processor; process until a finely-ground meal. Pour into a bowl.
4. Place the remaining 3 cups or 340 grams of the pecans and the sugar in the food processor; process until sandy. Pour onto a large plate.
5. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
6. Beat the brown sugar and shortening in a large bowl at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Pour in the ground pecans (the ones WITHOUT the sugar) and beat just until incorporated.
7. Remove the beaters and fold in the prepared flour mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes.
8. Pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a walnut and roll between your hands into a 1-inch ball. Dip in the egg white mixture; then roll into the pecan and sugar mixture, coating the ball completely. Place on one of the prepared baking sheets, then continue making pecan-coated balls, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the sheets. Reserve any unused dough for a second round of baking.
9. Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the sheets front to back and top to bottom. Flatten the cookies slightly with the back of a small spoon to remove their rounded tops. Continue baking until the cookies are lightly browned and cracked at the edges, about 5 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.