Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies

These Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies have the same great flavors of pecan pie, in a handheld buttery cookie. They cookies have the same gooey nutty topping of traditional pecan pie, topped onto a tender shortbread cookie, making them the perfect bite-sized cookie!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cookies, pecan pie cookies, pecan pie thumbprint cookies, pecan pie thumbprints, Pecans, Thumbprint Cookies

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Chilling Time: 1 10

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: cookies

Calories: 118kcal

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour **
1/2 tsp salt

For the Pecan Pie Filling

2.5 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS corn syrup
1/2 TBS unsalted butter (melted)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 Cup Finely chopped pecans

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Cookie Dough:

Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat them together for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl down as needed. 1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Add the vanilla extract and mix it into the dough until combined. 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add the flour and salt to the dough and mix it together just until combined. Mix with your hands if needed to mix in the last bits of the flour. 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt
Scoop the cookie dough into 1 TBS sized portions and roll them into balls.
Place the cookie dough balls onto a lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
Indent the center of the cookies with your finger, or use the bottom of a round 1/2 tsp measuring spoon to press into the cookie.
Place the pans in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.

For the Pecan Pie Filling:

Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla to a medium bowl and stir them together. 2.5 TBS brown sugar, 2 TBS corn syrup, 1/2 TBS unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Add in the chopped pecans and stir until they are coated in the mixture. 1/4 Cup Finely chopped pecans
Fill the cookies carefully with the pecan mixture, just to the top of the cookies. Place the pan back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit while the cookies are chilling.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned, and the filling starts to caramelize.
Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

**This is the measurement that can change the most from person to person. It is important to weigh the flour if you have a food scale. 280 grams of flour is perfect for these cookies. If you don't have a food scale spoon the flour carefully into the measuring cup and level the top off with the back of a spoon.

You must chill the dough. This will enhance the flavor of the cookies, but also keep them from spreading too much while baking. Keep one tray of cookies in the fridge while the other bakes, so they stay chilled until ready.
Avoid Overfilling the cookies. Too much pecan pie filling will spill and make messy cookies and a messy tray while baking. Fill just to the top of your indentation.

Nutrition