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Pecan Dough

This dough is rich, thanks to its high butter-to-flour ratio, which can make rolling it out a bit tricky—especially with the added nuts. But trust me, the effort is worth it for the deliciously flaky crust. Feel free to swap out the pecans for your favorite nuts in equal amounts. The best part? This dough freezes beautifully, so make a double batch and stash one in the freezer. It’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. Just remember to thaw it overnight in the fridge before using.
Print Recipe
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1⅔ (7.25 oz) cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • ½ cup pecans
  • ¼ cup, plus 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 oz very cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 Tbsp very cold water

Equipment

  • food processor

Method
 

  1. Put the pecans in a food processor and pulse until they are very fine and uniform, but not to the point of pecan butter. Add the flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse a few times to blend. Add the butter and pulse again until the largest piece is the size of a small pea.
  2. With the processor running, drizzle in the water and process until the mixture climbs up the sides of the processor. Remove the top and squeeze a big pinch of the dough to see whether it's still dry and crumbly or hold together and feels moist. If it is dry, pulse in a few more drops of water.
  3. When the dough is the right consistency, dump it onto a lightly floured counter and gather it into a ball. Push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then use a dough scraper or thin spatula to scrape it back into a ball. Repeat this process for a few strokes until the dough starts to come together. Don’t overwork it; it’s okay if it’s still slightly crumbly. If you have a tea towel (not terry cloth), use it to make a beggar’s purse to shape the dough into a consolidated ball, as shown in the video. Shape it into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes. If you chill it longer, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling to avoid cracking. (If the dough does crack, you can repair it like I did in the video!)
  4. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days; freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

I used this French rolling pin for rolling out the pie dough, and it’s one of my favorites. It’s sturdy, easy to clean, and built to last.