Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie base filled with a gooey, brown sugar and pecan mixture. They’re a portable dessert that’s more acceptable to walk around with than pecan pie, but they have all the flavors you’d expect in the classic dessert.
What Are Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies?
Pecan pie thumbprint cookies take the flavors of pecan pie and bake them into a bite-sized buttery cookie. A shortbread cookie, which also freezes beautifully, is the base for this addictive dessert. A well inside the cookie dough is filled with a gooey pecan mixture before the cookies bake.
Pecan pie thumbprint cookies are like a pecan pie that you can hide in your purse.
What Does Pecan Pie Filling Taste Like?
If you have yet to taste my Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, you’re missing out. Pecan pie tastes nutty and buttery, with notes of caramel and a delectable crunch. Pecan pie is a highlight of many fall dessert tables and holiday menus, but it’s a year-round treat for my family.
What Do I Need to Make Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies?
Pecan pie thumbprint cookies are made with all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, egg, baking powder, maple syrup, kosher salt, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, and good-quality bourbon. The pecan filling has additional ingredients that I’ll give you later on.
You can mix the cookie dough with an electric hand or stand mixer. The additional equipment for this recipe is a portion scoop, sheet pans, and parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Can I Omit the Bourbon in This Recipe?
You can omit the bourbon in any recipe and replace it with vanilla extract, maple extract, or cinnamon extract.
Why Do I Need To Beat the Sugar and Butter So Long?
You first need to sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Cornstarch, when added to all-purpose flour, lightens the flour, contributing to an airier, more tender cookie. Once you sift the dry ingredients together once or twice (the more sifting, the lighter the cookie), set this mixture aside.
Begin by beating the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and kosher salt together using a hand mixer set to low. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters once the mixture forms a thick paste.
Next, increase the mixer’s speed to medium and beat the mixture for 4 minutes. Stop the mixer every 1 1/2 minutes to scrape down the bowl and beaters. Beating butter and sugar for at least 4 minutes breaks down the sugar crystals and aerates the butter mixture, which results in lighter, more tender baked goods.
Can I Replace the Maple Syrup with Something Else?
Add the egg, vanilla, and bourbon to the bowl with the butter mixture. Blend these ingredients in at low speed until they form a thick paste.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters once you have a thick paste. Beat the butter-egg mixture at medium speed for 3 minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl and beaters after 1 1/2 minutes. The mixture will look light and fluffy and should resemble frosting.
How Far Ahead Can I Make the Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookie Dough?
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and blend it at low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and beaters, and blend on low for an additional 30 seconds.
It’s best to make cookie dough at least 30 minutes before you bake it. Refrigerating cookie dough for at least 30 minutes allows the dough to hydrate, which contributes to a better, less floury flavor in the baked cookies.
Cover the bowl in plastic film and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
Can I Freeze the Dough After Making It?
You can freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months after mixing it.
To prepare raw cookie dough for freezing:
- Scoop the dough into balls using a #30 portion scoop (you can find the number on the lever inside the bowl of the scoop) onto a sheetpan lined with a silicone baking mat.
- Freeze the balls of cookie dough, uncovered, for 1 hour or until they are firm.
- Transfer the cookie dough balls from the sheetpan to a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To bake: arrange the frozen cookie balls on a parchment or silicone-lined sheetpan and allow them to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Once soft, you can continue as instructed below.
What Do I Need to Make the Pecan Pie Filling?
To make pecan pie filling for cookies, you need chopped pecans, brown sugar, kosher salt, an egg, unsalted butter, maple syrup, and bourbon. Once again, you can omit the bourbon or replace it with vanilla extract if you abstain from alcohol. The amount of alcohol left in the filling after baking is minimal, so it is safe for children to consume.
I begin the pecan pie filling while the cookie dough chills.
Can I Replace the Pecans with a Different Nut?
Add everything to a 3-quart mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to blend the ingredients together until they form a thick sludge.
Though it will no longer be a pecan pie cookie, you can replace the pecans in this recipe with chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds.
Once a thick sludge forms in the bowl, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters. Begin whipping the mixture at medium speed for 1 minute. The mixture will look thick, like pudding.
Can I Freeze the Filling Before Using It?
The pecan pie filling is ready to use after mixing.
You can freeze pecan pie filling after you make it by transferring it to a freezer-safe container and freezing it for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to use it, whip it with your mixer for 1 minute to bring it back together. Even frozen, it should be malleable enough to whip, so you don’t have to wait for it to thaw completely.
How Do I Assemble the Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies?
To assemble the pecan pie thumbprint cookies, first, line a half-sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Use a number 30 portion scoop to scoop up 2 1/2 tablespoons (42 grams) of the cookie dough. Drop the cookies onto the sheetpan, then roll them between the palms of your hands to form a ball. If the dough feels hard, allow it to warm up for 10 minutes at room temperature. The softer the thumbprint cookie dough, the less likely it is to crack when you press the well into it.
Use the bottom of a tablespoon to press a dent into the cookie dough ball. If the tablespoon sticks to the dough, dip it into all-purpose flour to keep it from sticking. It also helps if you wipe off excess cookie dough. If your cookie balls crack, pinch the dough back together with your fingers.
Finally, use that same tablespoon to scoop the pecan pie filling into each cookie well.
How Long Do I Bake the Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies?
Bake the pecan pie cookies in a 350°F (190°C) oven for 10-12 minutes. I prefer my cookies on the darker side, so I go for the longer baking time. The longer you bake pecan pie thumbprint cookies, the firmer the pecan pie filling will be.
Sometimes, the filling will ooze out of the center if you haven’t created a deep enough well in the cookie dough. This is totally fine.
After baking, remove the sheetpan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool down on the sheetpan for 2 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool them completely. If your pecan pie filling oozed out of the cookie’s center, scrape it up with the cookie using your spatula.
How Do I Serve the Cookies?
I serve my pecan pie thumbprint cookies while they’re still warm. It’s best to allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes so you’re not biting into molten hot pecan pie filling.
Once you’re ready to serve them, enjoy the pecan pie cookies with a glass of your favorite milk, a scoop of your favorite frozen custard, or on their own.
What’s the Best Way to Store Baked Pecan Pie Cookies?
Store pecan pie cookies in an air-tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Avoid storing pecan pie cookies in the refrigerator because the chilled air causes the cookies to go stale and hardens the pecan pie filling too much.
The longer you store the cookies, the staler they become. To give cookies a freshly-baked taste, heat them in the microwave for 12 seconds.
Can I Freeze Them After Baking?
You can freeze pecan pie cookies after baking and cooling them to room temperature. To freeze pecan pie thumbprint cookies, transfer them to a freezer-storage bag and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature before eating.
Let me know what you think of these Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies in the comments below. I know they’ll make a fantastic addition to your dessert menus this year, so be sure to share it with your family and friends. Also, pin this recipe to your cookie board for easy access!
Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- electric mixer
- half sheetpan
- parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- #30 portion scoop
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (40 grams) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup, packed (125 grams) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) bourbon optional
For the Pecan Pie Filling
- 3/4 cup, chopped (90 grams) unsalted pecans
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (53 milliliters) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon bourbon optional
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Combine the Dry Ingredients
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder into a 2-quart mixing bowl. Set this mixture aside.
Make the Thumbprint Cookie Dough
- In a 4-quart mixing bowl, blend the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and kosher salt together using a hand mixer on low speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters once the mixture forms a thick paste.
- Next, increase the mixer's speed to medium and beat the mixture for 4 minutes. Stop the mixer every 1 1/2 minutes to scrape down the bowl and beaters.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and bourbon to the bowl with the butter mixture. Blend these ingredients in at low speed until they form a thick paste. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters once you have a thick paste.
- Beat the butter-egg mixture at medium speed for 3 minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl and beaters after 1 1/2 minutes. The mixture will look light and fluffy and should resemble frosting. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and blend it at low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and beaters, and blend on low for an additional 30 seconds.
- Cover the bowl in plastic film and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
Mix the Pecan Pie Filling While the Cookie Dough Chills
- Add the pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, egg, bourbon, vanilla extract, and kosher salt to a 3-quart mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to blend the ingredients together until they form a thick sludge.
- Once a thick sludge forms in the bowl, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters. Begin whipping the mixture at medium speed for 1 minute. The mixture will look thick, like pudding.
Assemble and Bake the Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
- Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).Line a half-sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Use a number 30 portion scoop to scoop up 2 1/2 tablespoons (42 grams) of the cookie dough. Drop the cookie dough onto the sheetpan. Roll them between the palms of your hands to form a ball.
- Use the bottom of a tablespoon to press a dent into the cookie dough ball. Finally, use that same tablespoon to scoop the pecan pie filling into each cookie well.
- Bake the pecan pie cookies for 10-12 minutes. After baking, remove the sheetpan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool down on the sheetpan for 2 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Once you're ready to serve them, enjoy the pecan pie cookies with a glass of your favorite milk, a scoop of your favorite frozen custard, or on their own.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- Replace the pecans in this recipe with chopped unsalted walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds.
- You can replace the bourbon in this recipe with vanilla extract, maple extract, or cinnamon extract.
Tips and Techniques:
- The amount of alcohol left in the cookies after baking is minimal, so it is safe for children and elders to consume.
- Refrigerating cookie dough for at least 30 minutes allows the dough to hydrate, which contributes to a better, less floury flavor in the baked cookies.
- If the tablespoon sticks to the dough when you're making the wells, dip it into all-purpose flour to keep it from sticking. It also helps if you wipe off excess cookie dough.
- The softer the thumbprint cookie dough, the less likely it is to crack when you press the well into it. If your cookie balls crack, pinch the dough back together with your fingers.
- The longer you bake pecan pie thumbprint cookies, the firmer the pecan pie filling will be.
- Sometimes, the filling will ooze out of the center if you haven't created a deep enough well in the cookie dough. This is totally fine.
- If your pecan pie filling oozed out of the cookie's center, scrape it up and against the cookie using your spatula.
Storage Instructions:
- Store pecan pie cookies in an air-tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- Avoid storing pecan pie cookies in the refrigerator because the chilled air causes the cookies to go stale and hardens the pecan pie filling too much.
- To give cookies a freshly-baked taste, heat them in the microwave for 12 seconds.
Freezer Instructions:
- To Freeze Raw Cookie Dough:
- Scoop the dough into balls using a #30 portion scoop onto a sheetpan lined with a silicone baking mat.
- Freeze the balls of cookie dough, uncovered, for 1 hour or until they are firm.
- Transfer the cookie dough balls from the sheetpan to a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To bake: arrange the frozen cookie balls on a parchment or silicone-lined sheetpan and allow them to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Assemble and bake as instructed in the recipe.
- To Freeze the Pecan Pie Filling:
- Transfer the prepared pecan pie filling to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 2 months.
- Whip it with your mixer for 1 minute to bring it back together before using it.
- To Freeze Baked Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies:
- After baking and cooling the cookies to room temperature, transfer them to a freezer-storage bag and freeze them for up to 2 months.
- Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature before eating.
Pecan pie in cookie form? You don’t have to ask me twice! These will be a huge hit on our Christmas goodies tray and I think they would be popular as a bake sale item too.
They are a great add, Bernice!
I love this idea of a pean pie thumbprint cookie! This mixes together two favorite sweet treats! Thanks for the recipe share!
My pleasure, Ann.
My two favorite holiday desserts in one recipe, pecan pie and thumbprint cookies! Going to make them this weekend, they look amazing!
Enjoy, Veronika!
This looks absolutely amazing! Pecan pie without making actual pie?! Count me in!
You’re on the train, Lori!
Such a fun twist on pecan pie! I’m so excited to give these a try! What a delicious holiday cookie ^_^
They fit the holiday theme, but we enjoy them year-round, Tammy!
Ok these cookies are seriously delicious. The pecan pie filling with that buttery shortbread is out of this world!
Thanks, Britney!