Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies

/ Jodi

Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies.

It’s December, and that means time to start Christmas cookie baking!

These cookies are a wonderful version of pecan pie in a cookie!

They are similar to Pecan Tassies, but a lot easier.

The cookie is buttery and shortbread-like, while the filling is nutty and sticky and sweet and AMAZING!

I had a little bit of extra filling left that I just couldn’t throw away, so I spread it on a sheet of crescent roll dough, rolled it up, and sliced it into 8 easier-than-pie pecan “sticky buns!”

So
worth
it!

Hope you will give these yummy cookies a try for something new on your Christmas cookie baking list.  I do believe these will become a regular in our home!

Here is the recipe I found at  Crazy for Crust, which I only slightly altered.  Thanks for a great recipe, Dorothy!

Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie Batter:

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Pecan Pie Filling:

  • 2 cups pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse or flaked salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4-5 Tbsp. Half and Half or Heavy Cream
  • 2 tsp. vanilla

Optional:  Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top of cooled cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat brown sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in electric mixer until creamy.   Add in baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix on low speed until well combined.

Shape dough, two tablespoons at a time, into balls, and place the balls two inches apart on a baking stone or cookie sheet.  Indent a hole in center with your thumb.

Prepare filling by stirring pecans, salt, brown sugar, and vanilla with cream until it forms a thick mixture.  Spoon approximately one teaspoonful into thumb indentation of each cookie.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes on stone or cookie sheet before removing to rack to cool completely.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Cookies freeze well for up to a month.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

35 thoughts on “Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies”

  9. Hey Jodi,

    I could use some of those cookies right now. I’m starving !! At the ER right now with post-op complications. Awaiting to undergo ultraound and for Urology Surgeon to come here. The ER staff paged Urology.

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  11. National Cookie Day was just made happier with this yumalicious recipe! I love pecan pie, it could only taste better made into a cookie. I already made some gluten-free sugar cookies this morning with a new recipe I found on a gluten-free website, they are good! I’m going to cut your recipe to make a half batch of regular, then try making a half recipe using gluten-free flour. Cookie Monster and I agree…there can never be too many cookies! Thank-you and enjoy the cookie munching!

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  13. My MIL always made a Wonderful Walnut pie at the holidays… I will make these cookies to share with her. I’m sure it will take her back in time. ❤️ She has dementia… Thanks for the recipe Jodi! 😍

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