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Pecan Pie Cookies are a fun twist on classic Pecan Pie! Thick & chewy cinnamon cookies are filled with luscious pecan pie filling. Drizzle with chocolate for a fun twist!
Why you’ll love Pecan Pie Cookies:
- Luscious Pecan Pie Filling – Fill your cookies to the brim with a silky pecan pie filling! It comes together in just 10 minutes on the stovetop.
- Thick & Chewy Cookies – These thick & chewy cookies are flavored with brown butter and cinnamon.
- Easy Holiday Recipe – Any skill level of baker can make these delicious cookies! They’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or gifting to friends and neighbors.
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Butter – I always use salted butter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before baking – creaming cold butter is not easy.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
- Pecans – I prefer whole pecans, but you can chop them smaller if you like. (You can also buy pre-chopped pecans rather than whole ones.)
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of these cookies, but a number of readers have reported having success when using a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour in my cookie recipes.
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted, dairy-free butter and heavy cream to make this recipe dairy-free! Use dairy-free chocolate too, if using.
How to Make Pecan Pie Cookies:
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough. Whisk together the brown butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
Step 2: Scoop and Chill Cookies. Scoop the dough into balls and chill for at least 30 minutes in the freezer or at least 2 hours in the fridge. See make ahead tips in the FAQs below.
Step 3: Bake Cookies. Bake 5-6 cookies per cookie sheet, leaving room for them to spread.
Step 4: Indent the Cookies. Press an indent into each cookie with a tablespoon. If you see a bit of gooey dough inside the indent (see photo) that’s fine! The cookies are done if they are a little puffy on top and the edges appear set.
They will set up to the perfect chewy consistency as they cool.
Step 5: Make Pecan Pie Filling. Melt butter and brown sugar together and let bubble a bit. Stir in the heavy cream, pecans, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.
Serving + Storing:
Fill the indented cookies with the pecan pie filling & drizzle with chocolate! Enjoy immediately! Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
If you love pie filled cookies, make my Apple Pie Cookies or my Peach Cobbler Cookies next!
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
Yes! You can double or halve this one.
Cookies can be baked, indented, cooled, and then stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight before filling & serving. The filling can be made up to 1 day ahead. Let it cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Gently reheat in the microwave or on the stove before using.
Cookie dough can be balled & frozen for up to 2 months or chilled in the fridge up to 48 hours before baking. Freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer safe bag or container once frozen, so they don’t all stick together. Bake from frozen, following the bake times indicated in the recipe card below.
More Thanksgiving Recipes:
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Apple Pie Cheesecake
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
- Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie Cookies
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Pecan Pie Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp salted butter, start with 254 grams. You'll want 206 grams left after browning. See note below.
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 163 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar , 156 grams
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 390 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For Rolling the Dough:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 105 grams
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
For the Pecan Pie Filling
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 113 grams
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 220 grams
- 1/2 cup heavy cream , 120 grams
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, 40 grams
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups pecans
For Drizzling
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted, optional! 113 grams
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally. Once it's melted, turn the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently. The butter will get foamy and bubbly, then turn a deep golden shade with a nutty, caramely aroma. (This will take about 4-6 minutes once the butter has melted.) Pour into a large bowl, making sure to scrape in the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and allow this to cool in the fridge while you gather the other ingredients. (See note below if you want to skip this step.)1 cup + 2 tbsp salted butter
- Make the Cookie Dough: Make sure your butter is warm but not hot before beginning. Add the sugars to the mixing bowl of butter, and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined, about 30-45 seconds. Stir in the dry ingredients, using a little elbow grease to get all the dry bits incorporated (yes, it will come together into a nice moist dough).3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 3/4 cup granulated sugar , 2 large eggs, at room temperature , 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon
- Scoop, Roll, & Chill Cookie Dough: Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl for rolling the dough balls. Scoop the dough into balls 65 grams in size. Roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then, chill dough balls in an airtight container in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.1/2 cup granulated sugar , 1 tbsp cinnamon
- Bake Cookies: Preheat oven to 365 ℉ and line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place 6 cookies on each sheet, allowing room for them to spread. (I prefer to bake one pan at a time, and keep the remaining dough in the fridge or freezer so it stays cold.)Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes (they will take 12 if frozen). Cookies will appear a little bit puffy on top and the edges will appear just set. Don't over bake them – they will set up to the perfect soft-baked texture as they cool. Immediately place a round cutter around the outside of each cookie and swirl the cookie within it to "scoot" them into perfect circles. This also helps them appear thicker.Let cookies cool on baking sheet placed on a wire rack for a few minutes before using the back of a tablespoon measuring spoon to make an indent. Let cookies cool completely before filling them. Tip: If a little bit of gooey dough is showing inside of the indents, that's fine! The inside of the cookie will always appear a tad underdone when it's right out of the oven. They will set up as they cool.
- Make the Pecan Pie Filling: Melt the butter and brown sugar in a pan over medium heat. Let it start bubbling, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, and the remaining topping ingredients. Stir the pecans around to get them all coated in the mixture, and then cook for a minute longer before removing the pan from the heat. Let it set for a few minutes to thicken up a bit (speed this up in the fridge).1/2 cup salted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/2 cup heavy cream , 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , 2 and 1/2 cups pecans
- Serve & Store: Spoon pecan filling into the cookies and enjoy! Drizzle over melted chocolate if desired. Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
- Make-Ahead Tips: Cookie dough can be rolled into balls & refrigerated up to 48 hours, or frozen up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, following the cues above for doneness. Baked & cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 24 hours before filling & serving. The filling can be made a day in advance, cooled at room temperature, then stored in the fridge. Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, can I freeze the leftover filling? These cookies were so good. Everybody loved them.
Hi Jean! yes, I think that would work just fine – but I haven’t tried it myself. Glad the cookies were a hit!
How long can the pecan filling be stored in the fridge before it spoils? – thank you for this amazing recipe
Hi Lia! I would guess 3-4 days, but I usually use it right away! And, thank you!
Absolutely the best pecan cookies! they turned out amazing—perfectly buttery, soft, and packed with pecans. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, and the flavor was unreal. A total winner!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Holly!
Made these cookies to share with friends and everyone loved them! Such a great recipe
Thanks so much, Stefany!
These cookies are absolutely delicious – rich, gooey, and full of flavor. The pecan pie filling makes them extra special and perfect for a treat. For my taste, though, they are quite sweet, and I think the recipe could do with a little less sugar. I’d love to hear suggestions on where it’s easiest to cut back the sugar without losing that great taste. Still, if you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love them!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Sarah! I think you could reduce the sugar by 10-20% in the cookies without drastically altering the outcome, and probably by 20-25% in the pecan pie filling.
So so good and fun to make🙂
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Brianna!
I made these and they turned out AMAZING!! Thank you for the recipe
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Sarah!
I’ve made these cookies 3 times and they have been the biggest hit!! Soooo yummy.
So glad to hear that, Lexy!