1. Prepping the Ingredients

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and ensure even baking.

2. Mixing the Dough

Chop the pecans into small pieces using a food processor or a knife. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and chopped pecans. Stir well and set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat the mixture until it’s creamy and smooth, which should take a few minutes.

3. Shaping the Cookies

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time. Mix on low speed after each addition until all the flour is incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. The dough should be slightly crumbly but able to hold together when pressed.

Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop 1-inch balls of dough. Roll each portion in your hands to form smooth, even balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each.

4. Baking to Perfection

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until they are lightly golden around the edges. Keep an eye on them to prevent overbaking, as you want them to remain pale with just a hint of color.

5. Rolling in Powdered Sugar

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 4-5 minutes. While they are still slightly warm, roll each cookie in a bowl of powdered sugar. Transfer the coated cookies to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Once fully cooled, roll them in powdered sugar once more for an extra layer of sweetness and serve!