Easy Pecan Cookies to Whip Up This Weekend!

It's time to dust off that food processor you got one Mother's Day but never got around to regularly using. It will make putting these cookies together a breeze. You can pour a glass of (skim) milk and serve the cookies immediately, or store them in an airtight container for up to a week; you can also freeze them for up to a month.

Pecan Crisps

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole pecans
1 1/2 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons safflower or light olive oil
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the pecans on paper towels. Microwave on high for 1.5 to 2 minutes, or until heated and fragrant. Place in a food processor while still warm and process with pulses just until finely chopped. (Some small pieces may remain.) Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and process with pulses until combined. Scrape out onto a sheet of waxed paper. Do not wipe out the bowl.
Add 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar to the food processor. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces and scatter over the sugar. Process until the butter is cut into small pieces. Add the oil, sour cream, and vanilla and process for 1 minute, or until creamy. Add the dry ingredients and pulse just until combined, scraping down the sides of the processor bowl as needed.
Using a rounded measuring teaspoon of dough for each cookie, roll 3/4-inch balls and place on a baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Remove from the baking sheet to a sheet of waxed paper. While the cookies are still warm, spoon the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve and sprinkle evenly on top. Let cool before serving.

Makes about 36 cookies

Per cookie: 63 calories, 6 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 4 g total fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 6 g dietary fiber, 0 mg sodium