Ingredients
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup 4 oz. freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 Tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp half and half
- parchment paper
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a single layer in a hsallow pan 8-10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325.
Process cheese and butter in a food processor 10-15 seconds or until creamy, stoppeing to scrape down sides sa needed. Add flour and next 3 ingredients; pulse 9 to 10 times or until mixture is crumbly. Add toasted pecans; pulse 4 to 5 times or until combined. Add half and half, and process 10 to 15 seconds or until mixture forms moist clumps.
Transfer mixture onto plastic wrap on a flat surface; gather dough into a ball, and flatten into a 1 inch thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour until firm, or seal wrapped dough in a zip top plastic freezer bag, and chill up to 3 days.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with 1 1/2 and 2 inch leaf-shaped cutters. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Bake at 325 for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer onto a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes.
You can freeze after thoroughly cooled in an airtight container.