1/3 cup good quality vanilla sugar

8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 egg yolk

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup pecan pieces divided into half

1.  In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix the butter on low speed until smooth and creamy (you don’t want it to get light and fluffy), about 1 minute. Add the salt. Add vanilla sugar and the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolk and mix for 1 minute. Still on low speed, mix in the flour just until blended; the dough will be soft.

2.  Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead it gently a few times. Lay a piece of saran wrap at least11 inches long on the counter. Spread half a cup of pecan pieces evenly. Divide each piece of dough in half and shape into a 9” log. Press the roll into the pecans, rolling it to coat all around. Wrap up the logs in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (you can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting and baking - there’s no need to fully defrost)

3.  Position the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicon baking liners.

4.  Using a knife, cut the dough into ½” thick rounds. Put them on the baking sheets leaving about 2 “ between rounds.

5.  Bake the cookies, rotating and swapping the baking sheets’ positions halfway through, until the cookies are brown around the edges and golden on the bottom, 18 – 22 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before serving. Cookies should not be eaten warm; they need to cool so that their texture will set properly.

Cookies freeze well.