Description
Mouthwatering pecan pie cookies blend classic Southern dessert inspiration with crisp cookie perfection. Buttery shortbread base and rich caramel-like pecan topping promise sweet indulgence you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 10 tbsps (141 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 5 oz (142 g) cream cheese, cold and cubed
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup maple syrup (or light corn syrup)
- ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and lightly coat a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray for seamless cookie extraction.
- Dough Development: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter and cream cheese, blending until a unified dough emerges. Shape into 24 equal balls, pressing into muffin tin cavities. Briefly freeze to stabilize the dough’s structure.
- Pecan Filling Creation: Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Gently fold in chopped pecans, ensuring even distribution throughout the sweet mixture.
- Filling and Baking: Delicately spoon one teaspoon of pecan filling into each dough cavity, avoiding overflow. Slide the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, watching for golden edges and set filling.
- Cooling and Finishing: Let cookies rest in the tin for 10 minutes. Carefully loosen with a small knife, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, preserving their crisp texture and intricate shape.
Notes
- Chill Dough Strategically: Freeze the dough balls for 10-15 minutes before filling to maintain their shape and prevent spreading during baking.
- Prevent Overflow Technique: Use a small measuring spoon or dropper to precisely control the amount of pecan filling, avoiding messy spillage in the muffin tin.
- Customize Nut Options: Swap pecans with walnuts or almonds for different flavor profiles, perfect for accommodating nut preferences or dietary restrictions.
- Master Even Baking: Rotate the muffin tin halfway through cooking to ensure uniform golden edges and consistent filling set across all cookies.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg