Pecan-Rye Sablé Cookies

This is the second cookie that I have made with the Tartine No. 3 50/50 sable recipe which uses a 50/50 mixture of whole grain flour and nut flour based on weight. These delightful pecan and rye flour cookies, reminiscent of pecan balls or Mexican wedding cakes, are very fragrant and mildly sweet. I added the vanilla to the flour pairing, and modified the prep process a bit to make it simpler. A dash of powdered sugar is a good finish, but they are also delicious plain. You can find organic, whole-grain dark rye flour in the specialty flour section of most supermarkets.

Pecan-Rye Sablé Cookies
Makes about 60 cookies

1 2/3 cups/186 grams pecans
1 1/2 cups/186 grams whole-grain dark rye flour
2/3 cup/133 grams sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon/133 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast 5 minutes until light golden in color. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pecans, rye flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Pulse until very finely ground, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and add the butter. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until it mixture looks like coarse meal and begins to form a dough. Gather together with your hands and lightly kneed into one cohesive mass. Refrigerate dough in a covered container overnight to hydrate the flour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, such as #100, form the dough into 3/4” balls. Spacing the cookie balls about 1 inch apart on the parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even browning, until the cookies are golden around the edges. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute, and transfer the cookies still on parchment to cooling racks. Cool completely. Dust lightly with powdered sugar, if desired.

The cookies will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.