Pecan Pie Cookies are soft, buttery, and filled with a rich, gooey pecan topping. This easy fall dessert recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays!
If you love pecan pie, you are going to love these Pecan Pie Cookies! They start with a soft, buttery cookie that is perfectly baked. Then, each cookie gets a little nest in the center for a rich, gooey pecan topping. Every bite has that classic pecan pie flavor!
This recipe is easy to follow and is perfect if you want a beautiful addition to a holiday dessert table. We love finger desserts and are always trying to perfect the perfect bite.
If you like this cookie, you should give my Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie and my Christmas Praline cookie a try too! Both are delicious additions to your holiday baking list.
Reader Review: "These were easy and turned out mouth watering! They disappeared quickly! A new favorite way to make wings." - Melissa
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- All the Flavor of Pecan Pie: but in a soft, buttery cookie!
- Perfect for the Holidays: These are beautiful on a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table.
- A Crowd-Pleaser: They are easy to grab and enjoy, making them perfect for parties and cookie trays.
- Make-ahead Friendly: The cookies can be baked ahead of time and filled when you are ready to serve.
Ingredients
Cookie
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter creates a rich, buttery cookie!
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a delicious caramel-like flavor.
- Sugar: Helps balance the brown sugar and gives the cookies the right texture.
- Eggs: To help bind the ingredients and add richness.
- Vanilla: Adds a little extra flavor to the cookie.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the cookie dough.
- Cornstarch: Helps keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cookie rise.
- Baking Soda: Helps with browning and gives the cookie a lighter texture.
- Salt: To enhance the flavor.
Pecan Pie Topping
- Brown Sugar: Creates the rich, caramel-like base for the filling.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps create that classic pecan pie flavor.
- Dark Corn Syrup: Gives a gooey texture and sweetness.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Pecans: The star of the topping! I recommend chopping them fairly small, so they are easy to scoop onto the cookies.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and helps create a smooth filling.
- Vanilla: Finishes the topping with a touch of extra flavor.
Tim's Tip: Don't overfill the cookies! The pecan topping is rich and gooey, so a rounded tablespoon of filling is plenty for each cookie. Let the filling settle into the center of the cookie rather than spreading all the way to the edges.
How to Make Pecan Pie Cookies
1. Beat the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, mixing well.
4. Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Don't skip this step!
5. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
6. Bake the Cookies: Once dough is chilled, scoop dough by about two tablespoons and roll gently to make a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom edges of the cookie just start to turn slightly brown.
7. Make the Indent: Immediately after removing from the oven, use the rounded back of a scoop or small spoon to create an indent or nest for the filling.
8. Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool completely before preparing your topping; the cookies need to be completely cooled before being filled.
9. Make the Pecan Pie Topping: In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and reaches a temperature between 236-240°F. This takes about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans, heavy cream, and vanilla. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes before scooping by rounded tablespoons into the indent of the cooled cookies. Allow the filling to cool completely before enjoying.
Made this recipe? Let me know!
expert tips
- Chill the Dough: The 30-minute chill helps the cookies hold their shape while cooking.
- Don't overbake: Take the cookies out when the bottom edges are just starting to turn brown. You want the cookies to stay soft and tender.
- Make the indent while warm: The cookies are easiest to shape immediately after coming out of the oven.
- Cool the Cookies Before Filling: If the cookies are warm, the pecan filling can spread instead of sitting neatly in the center.
- Use a candy thermometer: Getting the pecan filling to 236-240°F helps you achieve the right consistency.
- Chop the pecans fairly small: Smaller pieces make the topping easier to scoop and easier to eat in one bite.
Substitutions and variations
- Add a little cinnamon: For even more warm fall flavor, add a small amount of cinnamon to the cookie dough or pecan topping.
- Try different nuts: Pecans are classic, but walnuts can be used for a slightly different flavor.
- Add chocolate: A small drizzle of melted chocolate over the cooled cookies would make these extra good.
- Light Corn Syrup: Feel free to use light corn syrup in place of dark corn syrup if that's what you have on hand.
STorage
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because of the gooey pecan filling, I recommend using parchment paper between layers or storing the cookies in a single layer when possible to prevent sticking.
- Allow refrigerated cookies to come closer to room temperature before serving for the best texture
FAQs
I recommend it. The 30-minute chill helps the dough firm up and keeps the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
Yes, but I recommend freezing the cookie before adding the pecan topping. When ready to serve, thaw the cookies and prepare the pecan filling. Fill once the cookies have completely thawed.
Make sure to cook the filling to the proper temperature. I like to use a thermometer and make sure the mixture is between 236° and 240°F. This will help ensure the filling sets the right consistency when cooled.
More Cookie Recipes
Made this recipe? Let me know!
Recipe
Pecan Pie Cookies
Equipment
- Standing Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Oven
- Instant Read Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Corn Starch
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Topping
- ⅔ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Butter Unsalted
- ⅓ cup Corn Syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Pecans Chopped
- 2 tablespoon Heavy Cream
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Beat the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add in both eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, mixing well.
- Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Don't skip this step!
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Bake the Cookies: Once the dough is chilled, scoop dough by about two tablespoons and roll gently to make a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom edges of the cookie just start to turn slightly brown.
- Make the Indent: Immediately after removing from the oven, use the rounded back of a scoop or small spoon to create an indent or nest for the filling.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool completely before preparing your topping; the cookies need to be completely cooled before being filled.
Pecan Pie Topping
- Make the Pecan Pie Topping: In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and reaches a temperature between 236-240°F. This takes about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans, heavy cream, and vanilla. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes before scooping by rounded tablespoons into the indent of the cooled cookies. Allow the filling to cool completely before enjoying.
Notes
- Chill the Dough: The 30-minute chill helps the cookies hold their shape while cooking.
- Don't overbake: Take the cookies out when the bottom edges are just starting to turn brown. You want the cookies to stay soft and tender.
- Make the indent while warm: The cookies are easiest to shape immediately after coming out of the oven.
- Cool the Cookies Before Filling: If the cookies are warm, the pecan filling can spread instead of sitting neatly in the center.
- Use a candy thermometer: Getting the pecan filling to 236-240°F helps you achieve the right consistency.
- Chop the pecans fairly small: Smaller pieces make the topping easier to scoop and easier to eat in one bite.
Storage
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because of the gooey pecan filling, I recommend using parchment paper between layers or storing the cookies in a single layer when possible to prevent sticking.
- Allow refrigerated cookies to come closer to room temperature before serving for the best texture
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