If you love pecan pie but don’t feel like making an entire pie from scratch, these Pecan Pie Cookies are calling your name! Imagine a soft, cinnamon-spiced cookie with a slightly crumbly, buttery texture, filled with all that gooey, caramelized pecan goodness we love about the classic Thanksgiving dessert. They’re sweet, nutty, and perfectly bite-sized, making them an easy addition to your holiday dessert table. Plus, there’s something so satisfying about getting that perfect balance of cookie and pecan pie filling in every bite. Whether you’re baking for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, or just craving a cozy fall treat, these cookies are sure to be a crowd favorite!
Chocolate Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies
Rich, chocolatey thumbprint cookies with a hint of espresso, filled with a sweet and tart cranberry center and finished with a delicate white chocolate drizzle. A festive combination of flavors perfect for holiday baking!
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Small saucepan
- Blender or food processor
- Piping Bag
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅞ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons
- â…“ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cranberry Filling
- ¾ cup premade whole-berry cranberry sauce
- ½ teaspoon orange zest optional
White Chocolate Drizzle
- ½ cup white chocolate melting wafers or white chocolate chips
Instructions
Cranberry Filling
- Add the cranberry sauce to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the cranberry sauce to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally for approximately 5–8 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a jam-like consistency.
- Stir in the optional orange zest and remove from the heat. Allow the filling to cool completely before using.
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and brown sugar. Cream together with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft chocolate cookie dough forms.
- Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
- Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cookie.
- Using your thumb or the back of a rounded measuring spoon, gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly soft.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press the center of each cookie again using the back of a rounded measuring spoon to redefine the indentation.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
Filling & Decorating
- Once the cookies have completely cooled, spoon approximately ½–1 teaspoon of the prepared cranberry filling into the center of each cookie.
- Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth.
- Transfer the melted white chocolate into a piping bag and snip a small hole at the end.
- Drizzle the white chocolate over each cookie in a back-and-forth motion, allowing some of the cranberry filling to remain visible.
- Allow the white chocolate to set before serving.
- Enjoy!
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Pecan Pie Cookies
Everything you love about classic pecan pie, wrapped into a buttery, cinnamon-spiced brown butter cookie! These cookies feature a soft, slightly crumbly cookie base with a rich, gooey pecan pie filling nestled in the center. They're the perfect bite-sized twist on a Thanksgiving classic.
Ingredients
Brown Butter Cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter browned
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsps teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Pecan Pie Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups chopped pecans
Instructions
Prepare the Brown Butter Cookie Dough
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally until it begins to foam and develops golden-brown specks with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a dough forms. **The dough will be slightly crumbly, and that's okay!** Use your hands to gently press and mold the dough together until it holds its shape.
- Scoop portions of dough and roll them firmly between your palms to create balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cookie.
- Using your thumb or the back of a rounded measuring spoon, gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie to create a well for the pecan pie filling.
- Bake for approximately 12 minutes at 350°F, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press the centers again while they're still warm to reinforce the wells. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Prepare the Pecan Pie Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the granulated sugar and corn syrup, stirring until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Slowly drizzle a small amount of the warm butter mixture into the eggs while whisking continuously to temper them.
- Gradually pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan, stirring constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and reaches 160°F. Avoid boiling or overheating, which can cause the eggs to scramble.
- Stir in the chopped pecans and continue cooking until the filling is thick enough to spoon into the cookies.
- Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool slightly.
Assemble the Cookies
- Spoon the pecan pie filling into the indented centers of each cooled cookie.
- Allow the filling to cool and set before serving.
Notes
- Don't worry about crumbly dough!*This cookie dough is naturally a little crumbly. Press it together with your hands when shaping rather than adding extra liquid.
- Press twice. Creating the wells before baking and reinforcing them immediately afterward ensures plenty of room for that delicious pecan filling.
- Watch your browned butter. Remove it from the heat as soon as the milk solids turn golden brown to avoid burning.
- Let the filling cool. The pecan filling will continue to thicken as it cools, making the cookies easier to serve.
- Storage. Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow them to sit at room temperature briefly before serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
