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Featured Recipe

Freezer Pecan Cookies

Freezer Pecan Cookies

By Kate

Butter-rich cookies studded with walnuts and dried cranberries, frozen as logs for slicing on demand. Fluffy yet crisp edges, soft centers, a whisper of citrus zest replacing traditional vanilla. Shaped in advance, frozen tightly to preserve texture and flavor up to 4 months. Hands-on dough handling tips included. Balances sweet and nutty with tart pop. No lactose. Uses cake flour and brown sugar for a tender crumb. Oven cues over timers for perfect bake every time.
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 45 min
Serves: 6 dozen
cookies freezer baking desserts
Introduction
Butter, sugar, crunch. Deep notes from toasty walnuts paired with tangy bursts of dried cranberries turns typical freezer cookies on their head. No cutting corners here. Cake flour for softness, brown sugar for moisture and caramel undertones. Orange zest bumps aroma without drowning. Dough holds together firm in the freezer, slicing smooth rounds on demand—makes weekend baking foolproof or last-minute guests less panic. Whether you double batch or bake mini cookies, this technique saves time, keeps freezer tidy. It’s about knowing when the dough’s ready — not just following the clock. Plus, working cold dough cuts down on spread, keeps cookies uniform.

Ingredients

  • 400 ml cake flour sifted
  • 2 ml sea salt
  • 225 ml unsalted butter softened
  • 180 ml light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 200 ml coarsely chopped walnuts
  • 150 ml dried cranberries
  • 5 ml finely grated orange zest
  • About the ingredients

    Cake flour is the star here, swapping all-purpose means softer tender cookies without heaviness. Brown sugar adds subtle moisture and caramel notes, which granulated sugar lacks but you could balance with a touch of honey if grainy texture bothers you. Butter absolutely needs to be unsalted and softened, not melted, for proper creaming that traps air. Orange zest — fresh is essential. If unavailable, lemon or a splash of cinnamon works but changes profile dramatically. Nuts can swap; walnuts are buttery, replace with pecans or hazelnuts if preferred. Dried fruit is flexible; cranberries bring tartness to balance sweet and fat. Keep these in mind to adjust sweetness or texture upfront.

    Method

    Dry Mix|Sift cake flour and sea salt together. Set aside. Cake flour gives a tender crumb with a slight chew. Avoid direct baking powder if you want control over spread.

      Cream Butter and Sugar|In a chilled bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar with paddle attachment or wooden spoon until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes medium speed. Look for pale color and airy texture. This traps air for lift. Don't overbeat or butter warms too much.

        Add Egg and Zest|Add egg, scrape sides. Mix until fully combined with butter. Fold in orange zest last here to distribute aroma evenly but not punchy like extracts.

          Combine Wet and Dry|Slowly add flour mixture in two batches at low speed or by hand folding using a rubber spatula. Avoid overmixing. Dough should come together but not be tough. Slightly sticky but manageable.

            Add Nuts and Fruit|Gently fold in walnuts and dried cranberries with minimum pressure to keep chunks intact. Cranberries add chew and subtle tartness. Walnuts offer crunch and depth.

              Divide and Shape|Cut dough in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap on a flat surface. Shape into tight cylinders about 22 cm long and 4 cm in diameter. Compress with both hands to eliminate air pockets which cause cracking when sliced.

                Freeze|Place wrapped logs on flat tray or baking sheet. Freeze minimum 5 hours ideally overnight. Freezing solid allows clean slices without dough collapse.

                  Prep Oven and Trays|Position rack mid-oven. Preheat to 175°C (347°F). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using dull knife, slice logs into 6 mm thick rounds. Chill slices briefly if against bending.

                    Bake|Arrange cookies about 2 cm apart on trays. Load one tray at a time to keep even heat exposure. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until edges turn golden brown and centers set but springs slightly when touched. Listen for faint crackle sounds indicating crisp edges forming.

                      Cool|Leave cookies on pans 3 minutes then transfer to wire racks. Cooling solidifies structure and enhances textural contrast.

                        Storage|Keep leftover dough logs tightly wrapped, then double bagged in freezer safe container or bag up to 4 months. Slice straight from freezer; no thaw needed. Cookies stay fresh in airtight container up to 5 days at room temp.

      Technique Tips

      Sifting dry ingredients may seem like extra but it ensures even salt distribution and lighter texture. Creaming butter and sugar isn’t just making things fluffy; it aerates dough for rise and melt resistance. Adding egg at room temp avoids curdling or uneven texture. Folding flour slowly prevents overdeveloped gluten — chunky cookies beat rubbery. Shaping tightly into logs matters for smooth slicing; loose logs crack and crumble mid-slice. Freeze solid — not soft — so knife doesn’t drag and compress dough unevenly. Bake with eyes, not clock. Cookies should trumpet golden edges but still have a tender center that springs back. Listen as they bake; soft crackle means edges crisping. Cool fully on rack to fix texture or you’ll get squished bottoms. Store logs double wrapped to avoid freezer burn and odor pickup — it’s a common rookie mistake that ruins flavour before baking.

      Chef's Notes

      • 💡 Use cold butter, not melted. But soft enough. Warm butter will ruin airy texture. Short mix times help keep dough cool. Overmixing = dense cookies.
      • 💡 Freezing logs? Tightly wrapped. Plastic wrap matters. If air gets in, freezer burn happens. Don't forget double-bagging either. Protect against odors.
      • 💡 Slice thickness a deal breaker. No too thick. 6 mm is right. Thin means crisp, thick means soft centers. Adjust based on preference if trying variations.
      • 💡 Dough too sticky? Dust hands with flour, bit at a time. Else, makes shaping messy. Control it; don’t just flour everything.
      • 💡 Storing cookies? Airtight containers. Room temp only 5 days. Freeze for longer life. Logs still ready to bake from frozen. No thawing required.

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