Rosie's Pecan Crunchies

Taken from Judy Rosenberg's Rosie's All Butter Fresh Cream Sugar Packed Baking Book! These cookies will melt in your mouth and are perfect for all occasions! A favorite at Rosie's Bakery! Enjoy! These cookies need to chill about 4 hours.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup pecan pieces
• 1  cup  unsalted butter plus 2 tbls. butter, room temperature (2 1/2 sticks)
• 1⁄3 cup  lightly packed light brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  white sugar plus 3 tbls. white sugar (granulated)

Directions

1. Sift the flour and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Grind the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped but not powdery, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup plus 3 tbls. of the white sugar in a mixing bowl until the ingredients are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Add the dry ingredients and pecans and beat on medium low speed for 20 seconds. Scrape the bow, then beat until the flour and nuts are completely incorporated, about 15 seconds.
5. Spread a 2 foot length of waxed paper on a work surface. With floured fingers, shape the dough into a rough log about 18-20 inches in length along the length of one side of the paper. Roll the log in the waxed paper and twist the ends. Refrigerate the dough for about 2 hours. Cut the log in half if necessary to fit in the fridge.
6. Remove the log from the fridge and with the dough still in the waxed paper, gently roll it back and forth on the work surface to round the log.
7. Place the log back in the fridge a few more hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 300*F.
9. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or leave them ungreased.
10. Place the log on the work surface, and cut into 1/3" thick slices.
11. Dip one side of each cookie in the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar and place it sugar side up an inch apart on cookie sheets.
12. Bake cookies until firm to the touch and slightly golden, about 25 minutes. Be careful not to underbake these cookies, which changes the texture significantly. To test for doneness, remove one cookie from the sheet and cut in half. There should be no doughy strip in the center.
13. Cool on the cookie sheets. Enjoy!