Before there was the cronut, there was the scuffin. Necessity was the mother of invention.

Some five years ago, Frog Hollow Farm began to make frozen purées from fruit that wasn’t cosmetically attractive enough to sell to consumers. They then set about creating products from the purées, and the winner was the scuffin.

What sounds like a cross between a scone and a muffin is actually a triple hybrid, which includes the center of a jelly donut— substituting conserve, jam or preserve for the jelly. (Here are the differences between jelly, jam, conserve, etc.)

A hearty, sconelike dough formed into a muffin shape, a scuffin is more dense than a muffin, with a texture that goes from a crisp exterior and crumbly scone interior to center of smooth fruit filling, made from the purée. It eliminates the need to choose between a scone and a muffin. They can be breakfast bread, snack or dessert.

Served at the Frog Hollow Café in San Fransicso’s Ferry Building, the scuffin was an instant hit. The whole grain flour and flaxseeds, add healthful elements and a nuttiness that pairs well with the jam.

RECIPE: SCUFFINS

Ingredients For 12 Scuffins

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a microwave or over very gentle heat. Using a pastry brush, butter the cups of a standard-size 12-cup muffin tin (3-1/2-ounce-capacity). Let each coat of butter cool, then apply another coat; continue until the 2 tablespoons are all used.

2. COMBINE dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, add to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until just combined.

3. WHISK together the egg, milk and cream in another bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to combine (the dough will be quite sticky).

4. RESERVING about a quarter of the dough for topping, scoop 2 tablespoons dough into each cup. Using the back of a spoon, press the dough gently down into the cups. The dough will move up the sides, and there should be a shallow well in each dough cup. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t come all the way up to the top; there should be about 1/2 inch of space between the top of the dough and the rim of the cup.

6. BAKE 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned. Let cool in the pan on a rack; run a blade around the sides of each scuffin before turning out.

Variations

[1] Make a double batch: These pecan sandies will disappear quickly. You can also freeze them* (photo © The Nibble).

[2] Pecan right off the tree. If you’d like a tree of your own, southern varieties fare well in zones 7 to 9, and northern varieties can thrive in zones 5 and 6 (photo © Texas Pecan Nursery).

[3] Chopped pecans are a time saver, and ensure uniform pieces (photo © Schermer Pecans).

Updated September 2026

September 21st is National Pecan Cookie Day and June 23rd is National Pecan Sandy day, celebrating what is probably the most popular pecan cookie in America.

Pecan sandies are an American adaptation of the classic French sablé (photo #5).

Sablé, a shortbread-like butter cookie with a sandy texture, gets its name from the French word for sand, referring to both the color and texture of the cookie.

The cookies originated in the Normandy region of France and became a very popular tea cookie. Common variations include chocolate and lemon sablés.

A pecan sandy is simply the shortbread with chopped pecans added to the dough, or a pecan half embellishment on the top of the cookie.

In some pecan sandy recipes, like the one below, the dough is lighter than traditional dense, buttery shortbread.

Below:

> The recipe for pecan sandies.

> Pecan sandies vs. Mexican wedding cookies.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of cookies.

>The history of pecans.

> The year’s 44 cookie holidays. (National Oreo Day is March 6th.)

> The 10 basic styles of cookies.

> The different varieties of cookies: a photo glossary.
 
 
1. RECIPE: PECAN SANDIES

This recipe is courtesy of Taste of Home. Prep time is 10 minutes, total time is 55 minutes.

These are nothing like the Keebler Pecan Sandies of our youth, processed cookies made with palm and soybean oils instead of butter, and vanilla “flavoring” instead of real vanilla extract. Check the ingredients in the †footnote below.

Ingredients For 18 Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet.

2. CREAM the butter and sugar in a bowl; stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and mix on low until well blended. Stir in the pecans; mix well. Chill for 30 minutes.

3. ROLL into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until bottom edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

 
 
2. PECAN SANDIES VS. MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

The astute cookie lover may look at the photos and think, “Aren’t these Mexican wedding cookies?”

The two are closely related but not exactly the same cookie. Both are buttery, nut-filled shortbread cookies, and recipes often overlap.

Pecan sandies are generally defined by their crisp, crumbly texture and pecan flavor. Mexican wedding cookies are generally defined by their round shape, tender texture, and powdered-sugar coating.

The names can be confusing because both belong to the broader family of nut-based shortbread cookies. Mexican wedding cookies are also known as Russian tea cakes, snowballs, Italian wedding cookies, or butterballs, depending on the region and recipe.

Here’s the difference:
 

[6] Chart © The Nibble.
 

To freeze baked cookies: Allow them to cool completely, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to six months. You can reheat them in the microwave straight from the freezer, or preferably, allow the cookies to defrost in the fridge before rewarming.

†Keebler Pecan Sandies ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Vitamin B1 [Thiamin Mononitrate], Vitamin B2 [Riboflavin], Folic Acid), Soybean and Palm Oil, Sugar, Pecans, Contains 2% or Less of Salt, Eggs, Baking Soda, Vanilla Flavoring, Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Lecithin.
 
 

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September 15th is National Cheese Toast Day, consisting simply of toasted bread topped with cheese and then grilled or broiled until the cheese is melted and bubbly. It can also refer to a grilled cheese sandwich made in a sandwich press, known as a toastie in the U.K.*.

While a basic version is just bread, cheese, and heat, popular variations include adding ingredients like butter, herbs, onions, or sauces.

So instead, try this tasty brunch recipe Wisconsin Cheese. It’s both sweet and savory: cheese with the sweet notes of conventional French toast.

The recipe uses Havarti from Wisconsin, but you can substitute another cheese of choice. Suggestions: Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Tilsit or for a stronger flavor, Muenster, Port du Salut or Reblochon. (Check out our Cheese Glossary.)

> The different types of cheese: a photo glossary.

> The history of cheese.

> The history of French toast.

> The history of the grilled cheese sandwich.

> The year’s 30 cheese holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: CHEESE STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

2. ARRANGE half of bread cubes in lightly buttered 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Top evenly with Havarti; top with remaining bread cubes.

3. WHISK together the eggs, milk, sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, butter and maple syrup in large mixing bowl; pour over bread mixture, pressing bread cubes to absorb egg mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon over the top. Cover baking pan with foil.

4. BAKE for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes or until lightly browned and set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

5. MAKE the sauce. Stir together blueberries and blueberry preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until warm. Serve over the French toast or on the side.
 
________________
 
*Cheese toastie is the British term for a grilled cheese sandwich, though the term can also refer to a cheese-filled sandwich made in a toaster oven or a sandwich press (the latter a method that compresses the sandwich significantly). The classic American grilled cheese is buttered on the outside and fried in a skillet until crispy, with the cheese melted and gooey.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[2] Simple cheese toast: grated cheese atop toast, melted and browned (photo © Scott Eckersley | Unsplash).

[3] Fancy cheese toast: Cut squares of focaccia, melt/brown shaved or grated cheese on top, and decorate with strips of cheese melted ever so slightly. Accent with a bit of sage, basil, or other fresh herb (photo © Deepthi Clicks | Unsplash).