These Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies are such an easy way to get your pecan pie fix without having to bake a whole pie. Tender, flaky, buttery shortbread cookies are filled with a sweet, gooey, caramelized pecan pie filling for a cookie eating experience that’s just too tasty to be true!
Just Like Mini Pecan Pies
Pecan pie lovers rejoice! I bring you all the deliciousness of grandma’s pecan pie in easy-to-make and easy-to-eat cookie form. You still get that buttery, flaky, tender “crust” with the shortbread cookie and that sweet, gooey, caramelized pecan pie filling in the center, but these cookies are so much easier to make and bake than a whole pie.
Cookies to be Obsessed About
The texture of the cookies is very much a shortbread cookie with a slight chew and nice crumb texture to it. Tastes very similar to a slightly sweetened pie crust. The filling is where the sweetness of the cookies really comes through so the very slight sweetness of the shortbread cookies complement each other so well.
I’m so obsessed with these cookies! I could hardly wait to share the recipe with you. Just in time for the holidays! They make for a great grab-and-enjoy treat to set out during your Thanksgiving gathering. Or, take a batch to a Christmas cookie exchange, or package and gift to your neighbors and friends this holiday season.
Ingredients and Supplies
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Light corn syrup
- All-purpose flour
- Vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans
Supplies:
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray
- Electric mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer
- Medium mixing bowl
Watch Me Make Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
Join me in the kitchen as I make these delicious thumbprint cookies for Thanksgiving!
How to Make Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cookie Dough: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour and beat on low until just combined and then on high until well combined and a thick, soft dough is formed. Make sure the butter is completely softened so it will mix well with the other cookie dough ingredients to create a thick soft dough.
NOTE: It is important to use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to combine the ingredients into a soft dough.
- Pinch off small portions of the dough and form into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. A 1-inch cookie dough ball is about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the pecans until well combined.
- Lightly press your thumb into the center of each ball.
- Then fill the indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of the pecan pie filling.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the filling starts to caramelize on top and the cookies start to turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- It’s okay if some of the filling melts out of the cracks in the sides of the cookies. If you want to salvage any filling that has seeped out, you can use a spoon to scoop it off the sheet pan and put it back into the center of the cookie once they’re out of the oven, but while they’re still warm.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
And that’s all there is to them. Such a great cookie to bake for the holidays that’s sure to excite and satisfy all the pecan pie lovers in your life!
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
To freeze, store cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag with parchment paper between each layer for up to 3 months. Defrost, loosely covered at room temperature.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
Let’s get you ready for the big feast with these festive, delicious and easy Thanksgiving recipes everyone is sure to be thankful for!
More Fall Baking
No need to wait for the leaves to start dropping to enjoy My Favorite Recipes for Fall Baking! From perfectly-spiced pumpkin bread to pecan pie bites and savory corn bread, you’re sure to fall for these autumn treats!
If you make these Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 
I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Total Time: 33 mins
- Yield: 30 cookies
- Category: Dessert
Description
These Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies are such an easy way to get your pecan pie fix without having to bake a whole pie. Tender, flaky, buttery shortbread cookies are filled with a sweet, gooey, caramelized pecan pie filling for a cookie eating experience that’s just too tasty to be true!
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Pecan Pie Filling:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cookie Dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour and beat on low until just combined and then on high until well combined and a thick, soft dough is formed. (It is important to use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to combine the ingredients into a soft dough.)
- Pinch off small portions of the dough and form into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Pecan Pie Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in the pecans until well combined.
- Lightly press your thumb into the center of each ball and fill the well with 1/2 teaspoon of the pecan pie filling.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the filling starts to caramelize on top and the cookies start to turn a light golden brown. (It’s okay if some of the filling melts out of the cracks in the sides of the cookies. If you want to salvage any filling that has seeped out, you can use a spoon to scoop it off the sheet pan and put it back into the center of the cookie once they’re out of the oven, but while they’re still warm.)
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
These are the most delicious cookies and so easy to make! I used date syrup as one reviewer suggested and it worked great! They were the perfect addition to our Thanksgiving dessert table!
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Hi, Adrienne! I’m so happy to hear that you loved them and that the date syrup worked so well for you! Thank you for sharing.
These were a really simple recipe and not hard which was really nice. The dough for me was a little hard to ball up, but I don’t think my butter was as soft as it should have been. I substituted date syrup for the light corn syrup and it worked great!
Hi Annie! I’m so happy to hear you baked and enjoyed them with ease. Love that you made the date syrup work as a substitute for the light corn syrup. Thank you for sharing! I hope y’all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
These Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies were so easy to make!! I love them.
Hi Donna! Yay, I’m so happy to hear you found them easy to bake and enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing!
OMGoodness! These cookies are even more delicious than they sound. My family devoured them and begged me to make more! I will have to make a double recipe next time! I never dreamed a cookie this easy to make could be so decadent but they are! Thank you, thank you for this recipe.
Hi, Lynn! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed them so much! Thank you so much for sharing.
#TheBakerMamaRecipeChallenge
Easy to follow, a breeze to make and delicious. A true classic.
Hi, Barbara! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m delighted that you enjoy them and that you found the recipe easy.
what if you don’t have a paddle attachment? how long will they last? do you need to store in a airtight container in the fridge?
Hi Kathy! If you don’t have a paddle attachment, you can just stir the dough together with a sturdy spoon in a large bowl. They keep well if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. I hope this helps and that you enjoy!
Can these be frozen?
Hi, Lori! Yes!! Just let them cool completely and then store them in a freezer-safe airtight container, for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
is there no egg in the cookie dough recipe?
Hi, Cayla! Nope! It’s a shortbread cookie recipe, so no egg is used.