Grandma Paul's Sand Tarts

• butter↗1 cup

  softened

• confectioners' sugar↗1⁄2 cup

  plus more for coating cookies

• vanilla extract↗1 teaspoon
• all-purpose flour↗1 3⁄4 cups

  plus more for dusting hands

• chopped pecans1 cup

  (very small pieces)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 270 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula.

3. 3

   With floured hands, take out about 1-tablespoon of dough and shape it into crescent. Place the cookies 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Cook's Note: Continue to dust your hands with flour as you make more cookies.

4. 4

   Bake for 40 minutes. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar while still warm. Cool completely on wire racks and store in airtight containers.