Pecan pie lovers rejoice! I bring you all the deliciousness of 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.
I’m so obsessed with these cookies I could hardly wait to share the recipe with you. Just in time for the holidays, they’d make for a great grab and enjoy treat to set out during your Thanksgiving gathering, or take to a Christmas cookie exchange, or package and gift to your neighbors and friends this holiday season.
Let me show you how they’re made…
The dough consists of just 4 ingredients that are mixed together, rolled into balls and pressed with your thumb to make a well in the center for the pecan pie filling…
The pecan pie filling is made with just 5 ingredients and scooped into the well in the center of the dough before being baked to toasty, sweet, gooey, crackly, caramelized goodness…
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!
Happy holidays and even happier cookie baking! Tis’ the season!
xoxo,
Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 24 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 unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 and 1/4 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 medium-high until well combined and a thick, soft dough is formed.
- 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 20-22 minutes or until the filling starts to caramelize on top and the cookies start to turn a light golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
I’ve never been a huge fan of nuts but for some reason I’ve really been into pecan pie type baked goods lately. These look wonderful. I hope to try them this weekend 🙂
Looking soo delicious ????????????????
Hello! These look so good. How do they freeze?
They’re so yummy and they freeze great! Just make sure you let them cool completely and store them in a freezer safe bag or container. Then let them defrost, uncovered, at room temperature when you’re ready to eat them. Enjoy!
Do these freeze well?
Yes! Just make sure you let them cool completely and store them in a freezer safe bag or container. Then just let them defrost, uncovered, at room temperature. Enjoy!
I only needed maybe half of the filling
You should have been able to fit 1/2 teaspoon of filling in each cookie. I wonder if your indentions in each cookie just needed to be bigger to allow for more filling? Hopefully, they still tasted great!
Is the flour 2 & 1/4 cups or 1/2 cup (two 1/4 cups)? I made last year and they were fantastic, but this year I read as 2 &1/4 cups of flour and the dough was beyond dry and wouldn’t stick together. Thanks in advance!
Hi Mandy! It’s 2 cups plus 1/4 cup. So weird that they didn’t bake up the same this time.
Tasted fantastic but……I sifted my flour and then measured (as if I was making a cake) so ended up using much less flour and they spread out like pancakes!!!! But my family ate them with no hesitation. Silly mistake.
Thank you!
Hi CM! Oh goodness. Bummer! I don’t sift my flour for the recipe so that probably is what made the difference. Hope you get to try them again soon!
These look sooo yummy! Can they made in advance and frozen?
Hi Jody! Absolutely, just let them cool completely and store them in a freezer-safe baggie or container, with parchment paper between each layer, for up to 3 months. Enjoy!