Gluten-Free Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

Preheat oven to 350(F) degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, spices, and salt together in a medium bowl. Combine 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with the pecans in a food processors; pulse until a coarse meal forms. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and vanilla in a medium bowl until creamy, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and beat to blend. Add the nut/sugar mixture and beat to blend. Add the dry ingredients and blend well (the dough will be moist but still crumbly). Transfer to a work surface and knead to form a ball, about four turns. Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for one hour to make it easier to work with. Measure up to 1 tablespoon of dough and form into a ball, then push the dough ball into a "mountain" shape on the cookie sheet using your fingers. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake the cookies, rotating halfway through, until bottoms are golden — about 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool slightly, then gently coat in powdered sugar. (The GF cookies will be more delicate than cookies with regular flour, so handle carefully.) Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Re-dust with powdered sugar if needed before serving. Can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to three days.