Chocolate Pecan Checkerboard Cookies

Slicing cookie dough to reveal a pattern is the most satisfying part of this recipe – until it comes to tasting what you’ve baked. In fact, these little sweets were given the title checkmate cookies by a friend who enjoyed tasting quite a few. With chopped pecans lacing the vanilla squares and rich chocolate flavoring the others, these crisp yet buttery treats serve my take on the classic vanilla and chocolate pairing in a package that’s fit for the holiday table.

While many of the cookies I make for Christmas have layers and fillings that make them pretty enough to look like ornaments, these have a cheerful geometric pattern. Their small size ensures they can be tucked throughout an already overflowing dessert plate.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) softened unsalted butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 ounce melted semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

Patterned sweets require a few extra steps that I enjoy taking during the Christmas season, when it’s so festive to become immersed in baking. On our first snowy day of December, dozens of tiny checkerboard cookies dotted the cooling rack in my kitchen, kicking things off.

For this recipe, I make a base dough then add chopped pecans to one portion and a combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate to the other. Each dough is sliced into strips that are assembled to form a checkerboard pattern. When you follow these directions, you’ll have two cookie dough logs to be sliced and baked.

How to Make the Pecan Vanilla and Chocolate Cookie Doughs

Begin by melting the chocolate for the chocolate cookie dough. Heat the semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate in the microwave in increments until melted. Stir in between. Set aside to cool slightly.

Next prepare the base cookie dough. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream the softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine well. Add the flour in a few additions until combined.

Divide the dough in half.  Remove the portion that will become the pecan vanilla dough from the mixer and gently work in the pecans so they are evenly distributed.

Add melted chocolate and cocoa powder to the remaining dough and return bowl to the mixer. Use the paddle attachment to begin incorporating them into the dough. Be careful not to overwork. Remove bowl from mixer and use your hands to finish incorporating. The dough should have an even color.

Shape each dough into a 9” x 3” rectangle using a rolling pin to make the top even and the flat side of a pastry scraper or other flat surface to even out the sides of the rectangle. Wrap each dough separately and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

How to Form the Checkerboard Cookie Logs

Cut each rectangle of chilled dough lengthwise into 4 equal strips. Rather than use a ruler, I simply cut each dough down the middle then divide each half into 2 equal pieces. You should now have 4 strips of vanilla dough and 4 strips of chocolate.

Lay 1 vanilla strip and 1 chocolate strip next to each other lengthwise and press moderately enough so that they stick together while retaining their original size. Create a reverse layer on top, stacking a vanilla strip on the chocolate and vice versa. Press to stick while preserving the shape of the log. The checkerboard pattern should be apparent when the log is viewed cross-wise.

TIP: If the logs aren’t exactly squared off, resist the temptation to use a knife to perfect them, or you risk losing too much cookie dough. Instead, when you slice the cookies later, you can simply trim them individually and modestly if needed.

Repeat so that you have two logs of assembled cookie dough. Wrap separately and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

How to Slice and Bake the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one log of dough and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Each cookie will be about 1 ½ inches square. They will grow only the slightest bit in the oven, but it’s still best to space them about 2 inches apart so they bake well. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Immediately transfer to cooling rack.

Allow to cool completely before serving.

For another festive treat to serve alongside these checkerboard cookies, consider a filled option such as these linzer cookies.