Pecan Pie Cookies

by Jillian

Soft and chewy sugar cookies topped with a decadent pecan pie topping that’s packed with toasted pecans and maple sweetness!

Like lemon meringue pie and carrot cake, pecan pie was one of the few desserts that took me a while to warm up to. As a kid, a pie full of nuts and brown filling just didn’t look very appetizing.

Luckily, I got over its rather unappealing appearance and discovered just how divine pecan pie really is. Maybe if I had known that the filling was pure sugar, I would’ve given this pie a try much earlier on in life. Seriously, the filling is BEYOND heavenly…

Now although you can never EVER go wrong with a classic slice of pecan pie, this week I decided to transform that slice of pie into….a COOKIE.

Yep, PECAN PIE COOKIES. Need I say more??

These cookies contain all of the deliciousness of a traditional slice of pecan pie and MORE!! Because not only does it have the divinely decadent ooey gooey brown sugar pecan filling we all salivate over, but instead of a boring ol’ pie crust, it has a soft and buttery sugar cookie!

Seriously, how could ANYone say no to these??

As I mentioned, these cookies are SOFT and BUTTERY. They’re not overly cakey like those crumbly pink-frosted cookies at the grocery store, nor are they hard and crunchy like dog biscuits. (Not that I’ve ever tried one…) These cookies are soft and chewy on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside, thanks to the sugar coating.

I’ve used this sugar cookie recipe in several other recipes on my blog (like my Strawberry Lemonade Cookies, my Twix Sugar Cookies, and my Pumpkin Sugar Cookies), and it has NEVER let me down. It’s also incredibly easy to make and requires no dough-chilling, which means less time you have to wait to shovel one of these uber yummy cookies into your mouth! Yay!

Now let’s discuss the pecan topping…

This stuff is absolutely lethal. It’s ooey gooey, lusciously sweet and LOADED with toasted pecans, which brings me to the first crucial step of this topping–toasting the pecans. This is an absolute must if you want to fully harness the flavor of the pecans. The difference is night and day when you compare the flavor of a raw pecan to a toasted pecan. It’s a simple step that takes only a few extra minutes of your time, so do NOT skip it!

After your pecans are nice and toasty, it’s time to work on the deliciously gooey brown sugary topping. Just toss all of the ingredients–brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, eggs (beaten), and vanilla into a medium saucepan and stir it constantly as you heat the mixture over medium-high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, continue stirring for another 2 minutes. At this point, you’ll need to be very careful since the mixture has a tendency to “spit” up at you as the boiling bubbles pop at the surface. Oven mitts would definitely be a good idea here.

Once the mixture has been boiling for a couple of minutes, take it off the heat and stir in the chopped toasted pecans. The topping will seem quite runny at this point due to how hot it is, but it’ll thicken up quite a bit after it has cooled completely. To speed up the cooling process, pour the topping into a shallow bowl, and place it in the refrigerator.

Now that you’ve got your cookies and your pecan topping, it’s time to unite the two into one blissfully beautiful confection. The best way to do this is to take two small spoons, use one spoon to scoop up a HEAPING tablespoon of the pecan topping, then use the other spoon to push the topping onto the cookie. Use both spoons to spread the topping evenly over the surface of the cookie, leaving about a half inch of space along the perimeter.

And there you have it, guys! One of the most iconic Thanksgiving desserts revamped into one of the most heavenly cookies your taste buds have ever encountered! Do your family (but mostly yourself) a favor and make these Pecan Pie Cookies for your next FALLiday gathering!

Pecan Pie Cookies

Soft and chewy sugar cookies topped with a decadent pecan pie topping that's packed with toasted pecans and maple sweetness!
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18 Cookies

Ingredients
  

Pecan Pie Filling:

  • 1 ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup light corn syrup
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups chopped toasted pecans*

Sugar Cookies:

  • 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar + 1/4 cup, divided
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions
 

Make the Pecan Pie Filling:

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
  • Once mixture is boiling, continue stirring for 2 minutes. Be careful, as the hot mixture tends to "spit" while you stir. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Make the Sugar Cookies:

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and powdered sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Add the vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Gradually mix flour mixture into wet ingredients until dough comes together.
  • Place the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll dough into balls that are a little larger than golf balls. Coat ball in sugar and place on lined baking sheet. Repeat process with more dough until you have 6 or 7 balls spaced at least 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each dough ball to about 1/2″ thickness. It’s okay if the cookies form a rim on the edges.
  • Bake cookies for 8-11 minutes or until tops look dry. They should still be pale in color–no browning. Try not to overbake or you’ll end up with hard, crispy cookies. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Assemble:

  • Take two small spoons. Use one spoon to scoop up a HEAPING tablespoon of the pecan topping, then use the other spoon to push the topping onto the cookie. Use both spoons to spread the topping evenly over the surface of the cookie, leaving about a half inch of space along the perimeter. Repeat with the rest of the cookies and filling.
  • Cookies stay fresh for up to a week in a sealed plastic container or covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

Notes

*To toast the pecans, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Scatter the pecans evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until browned and fragrant. Remove from oven, and allow to cool before chopping.

 

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