Pecan Pie Cookies

close up of pecan pie cookie with bite taken out

These Pecan Pie Cookies have a soft and chewy sugar cookie dough base with a gooey, sweet, crunchy pecan pie filling. It's Pecan Pie in a hand-held treat! Perfect for the holiday season of cookie exchanges!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings cookies

Calories 325kcal

Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl: all purpose flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt
Place the cubed butter and sugars into the bowl of a stand mixer and secure the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on and cream until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and blend until mixed. Use a rubber spatula to knock off mixture if any is sticking to the sides of the bowl and mix again.
1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
Gradually add in the dry ingredients, about 1/4 cup at a time. Mix until incorporated.
Using a 2 tbsp. Cookie scoop, scoop and roll into balls. Then use the back of a tablespoon to make an indent in each cookie dough ball. (I dipped the tablespoon in a little flour so it wouldn’t stick to the cookie dough) Repeat with remaining dough. You should get ~14-16 cookies. 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, sugar, maple syrup, and pecans. Allow it to melt and then let it simmer for ~2-3 minutes.
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 2 cups pecans, chopped
Then add in the heavy cream, spices and salt. Let it bubble again for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mixture will be runny when hot, but as it cools, it thickens!
1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. salt
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Scoop ~2 tsp. of the pecan pie filling into the chilled cookie dough cavity. You don't want to add too much because it risks spilling over the sides and you'll add more on top when they’re out of the oven.
Bake 6 cookies on a sheet at a time because they spread a little and bake for 10-12 minutes, I always bake for 10 minutes for the perfect chewy cookie!
Swirl a cup around the cookies while they are warm to make perfect circular cookies. Add remaining pecan pie filling on top of cookies to make them look nice and full and finish with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
flaky sea salt, for finishing
Allow to cool on the cookie sheet 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and allow the pecan pie filling to set up. Enjoy!

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