Pecan pie cookies may sound a little out there, but pecan pie is one of the most popular desserts that most people like serving on Thanksgiving. But, if you want to take this pie up a notch and enjoy it for a longer time, turn them into scrumptious pecan pie cookies! Let’s explore everything about these cookies!
Pecan pie is surely a very decadent and delicious dessert. The perfectly light and crumbly pie crust, when combined with nutty pecans, whipped cream, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, create a beautiful symphony of flavors. These flavors, together, truly represent fall and Thanksgiving.
But, one bad thing about baking a pie is just the fact that they don’t last for as long a time. Of course, you can freeze pies, but it isn’t really the same as a fresh pie or even one stored at room temperature. But there, of course, is a way to enjoy this pie for a longer time by converting them into scrumptious cookies!
Moreover, if you are comparatively new to baking, then trust me, baking cookies is truly a much easier process as compared to baking a pie. It is also a time-efficient process and requires less technique, so a total win-win situation!
Are you convinced enough to make these cookies now? I am sure that you are! So, in this article, you will find a complete step-by-step guide on how to bake these incredible cookies. Starting off with the equipment to the ingredients, method, and also nutritional information, it’s all in this article. So now, let’s dive right into this recipe!
Other Thanksgiving Recipes That You Can Try
- Pecan Cheesecake Pie
- Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Salted Caramel Pie
- Purple Sweet Potato Pie
- Alton Brown’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chef John’s Pumpkin Pie
- Pear Pie
- Baked Brie With Pecans
- Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie
- Apple Pie By Grandma Ople
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Pecan Pie Cookies?
- Stand Mixer – To evenly cream the butter and sugar together and make it fluffy and creamy, a stand mixer can be a really handy tool. In case you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer instead. But, I would highly recommend not using a whisk to make these cookies as the creaming process is really long, and your arm will surely hurt a lot if you do it manually with a whisk.
- Sieve – To get your dry ingredients as fine as possible, you will need a sieve. If you don’t sift the dry ingredients, your cookie dough will turn lumpy.
- Spatula – While creaming the butter and sugar and mixing in the dry ingredients, you will need a silicone spatula to get all your ingredients together while they splatter around in the mixing bowl.
- Baking Tray – You will need a large baking tray to bake your cookies.
- Silicone Mat – A silicone mat will have to be placed on the baking tray before you bake the cookies, as if you place them directly on the tray, they will stick to the base. Alternatively, you can also use baking or parchment paper.
- Ice Cream Scoop – An ice cream scoop will help you get precise measurements of the cookie and also make sure all the cookies are of the same size.
- Measuring Cups – For baking, precise measurements are very important. So, make sure you use measuring cups to measure all your ingredients.
- Measuring Spoons – For some of the ingredients that will be needed in a much smaller quantity, you will need a set of measuring spoons.
- Saucepan – To make the pecan pie filling, you will need a medium-sized saucepan.
- Wooden Spoon – To mix the ingredients together while making the filling, you will need a large wooden spoon. You can also use the silicone spatula instead if you would like.
How Much Time Will You Need To Make Pecan Pie Cookies?
| Preparation Time | Baking Time | Total Time |
| 30 Minutes | 10 Minutes | 40 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Pecan Pie Cookies?
For The Cookies
- Butter – Butter will make the cookies tender and give them a rich flavor. For a yield of eight cookies, you will need half a cup or a single stick of unsalted butter.
- Vegetable Oil – Oil also helps with retaining moisture in cookies. In fact, oil makes the cookies soft but won’t provide the richness that butter does; hence we will be using a combination of the two. You will need ⅓ cup of vegetable oil or any other oil that does not have a pungent flavor and smell.
- Caster Sugar – Sugar is, of course, what adds the sweet flavor to the cookies! You will need ¾ cups of caster sugar for this recipe. If you don’t have that, then even granulated sugar will do.
- Egg – The egg helps create the structure of the cookies and binds all the ingredients together. You will need one large egg for this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract will cut the egg flavor and give the cookies a better, defined taste. A single teaspoon of the same will do.
- Flour – Flour will form the structure of the cookies, like the foundation of the cookies. You will need two and ⅓ cups of all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Salt – Yes, we will be adding ¼ teaspoon of salt to a cookie recipe! The salt will help enhance all the flavors of the cookie.
- Baking Powder – Baking Powder will help leaven the cookies and will make them rise just till the required amount. You will need a teaspoon of baking powder.
For The Pecan Filling
- Butter – Butter will form the base of the pecan filling, giving it a rich flavor. You will need five tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- Brown Sugar – Brown sugar will help add a malty and caramel flavor, which will taste much better as compared to refined sugar. For this recipe, you will need ⅔ cups of the same.
- Pecans – It can’t be a pecan pie cookie filling without pecans! You will need one plus ¼ cups of unsalted pecans for this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract here will help enhance the flavor of the filling. A teaspoon of the same will be needed for this recipe.
- Heavy Cream – Adding ⅓ cup heavy cream to the mixture will give it a creamy flavor, which works really well.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Salt – Cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder will help add a warm flavor to the filling, which will make them even better for Thanksgiving and, just in general, fall. You will need ¼ teaspoon of both and also the same amount of salt to enhance the flavor.
Steps To Make Pecan Pie Cookies
1. Preheat The Oven And Make The Cookie Dough
The first step here is to preheat the oven. Preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the silicone mat over the tray and keep it aside. Then, make the cookie dough. For that, start off by adding the butter, preferably to a stand mixer, and beat it with a paddle attachment until it is light and fluffy.
Then, add the caster sugar and oil and beat them further until properly combined. Next, add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Make sure you keep cleaning the sides with a silicone spatula. Then, sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until combined. Just like that, your cookie dough is ready!
2. Shape The Cookies And Bake
Once your cookie dough is ready, it is time to shape the cookies and get them baking. Scoop out cookie dough onto the baking tray lined with parchment paper with the help of the ice cream scoop. Flatten the cookie dough out with your hands to a thickness of 1 inch.
Then, take a measuring cup, preferably ¼ cup, and flatten the center out of the cookie dough to make a dent, which is basically room for the pecan pie filling. Next, bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Once done, take them out of the oven and let them cool for 10-15 minutes.
3. Make The Pecan Pie Filling And Top The Cookies With Them
While your cookies are baking, you can make your pecan pie filling. Start by adding the butter, brown sugar, and pecans into a saucepan and heat over a medium flame. Stir well so that the pecans are properly coated with the mix. Let the mix simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Once the mixture starts bubbling, take it off the heat and stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and also the heavy cream, and combine them all together with a large wooden spoon. Once the mixture is ready, let it cool for 10-15 minutes, and then add the mixture to the cavity that has been made into the cookie. Just like that, these scrumptious pecan pie cookies are ready!
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 570 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 58 grams |
| Protein | 6 grams |
| Fat | 37 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 12 grams |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6 grams |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 16 grams |
| Trans Fat | 1 gram |
| Cholesterol | 62 milligrams |
| Sodium | 274 milligrams |
| Potassium | 132 milligrams |
| Fiber | 2 grams |
| Sugar | 31 grams |
| Vitamin A | 543 micrograms |
| Vitamin C | 1 milligram |
| Calcium | 64 milligrams |
| Iron | 2 milligrams |
What Will The Pecan Pie Cookies Look And Taste Like?
When it comes to baking, there’s always this anticipation of what the final product is supposed to look and taste like. This is especially true for people who aren’t used to baking as much or are comparatively new at it. So, I am sure that you may wonder what the cookies are supposed to look and taste like.
Talking about how the cookies are supposed to look, they will look extremely scrumptious, with little pockets of pecan filling in them, almost like tiny little pies. The flavor of these cookies is warm and fuzzy and almost perfect for fall.
The spices, combined with the pecans and the brown sugar, create a lovely balance of caramel flavor. Although the base of the cookie is not a short crust, the crunch of the cookie fits perfectly well with the creamy and caramel pecan filling, creating a great harmony of flavors.
Recipe Card
Pecan Pie Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Sieve
- Spatula
- Baking Tray
- Silicone Mat
- Ice-cream scoop
- Measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
For The Cookies
- 2 1/3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 3/4 cups Caster Sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 no. Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
For The Pecan Filling
- 1 1/4 cups Pecans
- 2/3 cups Brown Sugar
- 5 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
For The Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place silicone mat on a baking tray and keep it aside.
- Add the butter to a stand mixer and mix it with a paddle attachment till it is light and fluffy.
- To the butter, add in the caster sugar and oil and mix till everything is well combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix till combined.
- Sift in the flour, salt and baking powder and mix it all until combined.
- Scoop out the cookie dough onto the baking tray and flatten it out to a thickness of 1 inch.
- Flatten the center of the cookie with a small measuring cup, creating a dent in the center to hold the filling.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
- Once they are done, let them cool completely for 10-15 minutes.
For The Filling
- Add butter, brown sugar and pecans in a saucepan and heat over a medium flame.
- Stir until the pecans are properly coated and let the mix simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Once the mixture is bubbling, take it off the heat and add in the heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Mix it all together and let the mixture cool for 10-15 minutes.
Assembling The Cookies
- Once the cookies and the pecan pie filling are both cool, add the filling into the dent in the cookie.
- Serve immediately or store until later use!
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can granulated sugar be used instead of caster sugar for the cookies?
You can use granulated sugar, too. However, caster sugar is a better option as the granules are smaller and will cream much better.
Why does this recipe require both oil and butter?
This recipe requires both oil and butter, as the butter will add a rich flavor to the cookies, whereas the oil will add moisture and also make sure that the cookies don’t get dry or hard.
How long can these cookies be stored?
These pecan pie cookies will last in an airtight container for about three days.
Can granulated sugar be used for the pecan filling?
Yes, you can use granulated sugar in place of brown sugar if you would like, just that the flavor won’t be as malty.
Is it necessary to add spices to the pecan pie filling?
The spices will surely enhance the flavor of the filling and give it a much better and warm flavor. But if you don’t like them, you can avoid adding them.
Conclusion
Pecan pie cookies are the perfect way to take a simple pie up a level. These little cookies are perfect for Thanksgiving as they perfectly balance out the flavors of warm spices and pecans together, along with the buttery cookie at the base. Moreover, this is also the perfect way to increase the shelf life of a simple pecan pie!
