Pecan Heath Cookies

I found this recipe on Baking Blonde's website and liked the idea of butterscotch, heath bars and pecans all in one recipe. The cookies are meant to be slice and bake -- prep the dough, roll into a log and throw in the fridge, slicing off cookies to bake as you want them, or bake them all at once. However, Baking Blonde made hers as both drop cookies, and slice and bake and said they work well either way. I didn't have the time for slice and bakes, but I did have heath bars to use up, so I opted to make them as drop cookies.

The cookies are very, very good. They kind of remind me of pecan sandies, but with the added benefit of chocolate/heath bars in there making them even better. I didn't have the heath baking bits (which I'm sure would work well too) but a bag of mini heath bars which I chopped up. The difference is that when you chop them up yourself you end up with some bigger chunks of heath and chocolate which is definitely a good thing.

My only quibble with the recipe at all is that when you cream the butter/crisco and sugar there does not seem to be nearly enough butter for the sugar. Maybe that wouldn't have been such a big deal with slice and bake cookies, but for drop cookies it means you have to really work to get the finished dough to stick together in a ball. And, since the cookies are meant to be sliced and baked, they don't spread much in the oven which means you should flatten them some before baking.

If I make these again as drop cookies I will definitely up the butter by at least another 1/4 cup (making it a full stick of butter as well as a 1/4 cup of shortening). If I make them as slice and bake though, I would likely try them as the recipe states because I have a hunch the butter/sugar ratio is right for that style of cookie.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening (I used trans-fat free butter flavored Crisco)
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 TBS vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup English Toffee bits (like Heath bar bits)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I toasted mine first)

Preheat oven to 350 (if going to bake immediately)
In a large bowl cream the butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Stir to combine.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until combined. Gently fold in the toffee bits and nuts.

*If baking immediately, drop dough by spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheet. You might have to really work the dough between your hands to get it to form a ball, and make sure to flatten the ball a bit beofre baking. Bake for 8-9 minutes until edges are set and light brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Shape dough into 2 12 inch rolls Wrap each in Seran wrap. Chill for 4 hours or until firm.
When ready to bake:
Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lighlty browned. Cool for 1-2 minutes on sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.