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Description
These Pecan Pie Cookies combine the rich, decadent flavors of classic pecan pie with the convenience of a cookie. They feature a tender, buttery cookie base filled with a gooey pecan pie mixture, making them the perfect treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
- For the cookie dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- For the pecan pie filling:
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 cups pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- For the cookie dough:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Scoop cookie dough into 2 tbsp balls and roll. Use the back of a tablespoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie dough ball.
- Chill shaped cookie dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
- For the pecan pie filling:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, and chopped pecans.
- Allow it to melt and then let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Remove from heat.
- Assembly and Baking:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Scoop approximately 2 tsp of filling into each chilled cookie dough indent.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Immediately after removing from the oven, gently press the centers of the cookies again with the back of a spoon if the filling has spread too much.
- If desired, scoop an additional 1 tsp of filling onto the cookies while they are still warm, and garnish with flaky sea salt.
- Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet to allow the filling to set.
Notes
- Chilling the cookie dough is crucial for preventing spreading and achieving the best texture.
- Be careful not to overbake the cookies, as this can make the pecan filling too hard.
- For a richer flavor, you can toast the pecans before chopping them.