Prepare oven. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Toast and grind pecans. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven as it heats until they are fragrant, about 7-10 minutes. Let cool then grind in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment until finely minced but not so much they turn into a paste.

Beat butter and powdered sugar. Combine butter and ½ cup of the powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Mix in remaining ingredients. Add ground pecans and remaining ingredients and mix on low until well combined.

Bake. Line the baking sheet you used to toast the pecans with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place an inch apart of the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden on the outside, about 15 minutes (start checking after 10 minutes). Repeat with remaining dough.

Coat in sugar. Place remaining cup of powdered sugar in a bowl. Toss warm cookies in the sugar until well coated. Let cool on a rack.