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The Ultimate Gooey Pecan Pie Cookies: Buttery Base with Caramelized Filling

A stack of gooey, caramelized pecan pie cookies topped with whole pecans, resting on a white serving plate.
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Skip making a whole pie and bake these incredible pecan pie cookies. They feature a soft, buttery base topped with a rich, sticky, caramelized pecan filling. These capture all the flavor of Thanksgiving dessert in one perfect, handheld bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. For the cookie base, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to form a soft dough.
  4. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and press them lightly into the bottom of a standard 12-cup muffin tin, forming a shallow cup shape for the filling.
  5. For the pecan pie filling, combine the corn syrup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, the lightly beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to simmer and thickens slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not boil.
  6. Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the toasted chopped pecans.
  7. Spoon the pecan filling evenly over the cookie dough bases in the muffin tin cups.
  8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly golden and the filling is set.
  9. Let the cookies cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The filling will set as it cools.

Notes

  • Toast your pecans lightly before adding them to the filling for the best nutty flavor.
  • For easy removal from the muffin tin, you can line the cups with paper liners, though this may slightly affect the cookie’s bottom texture.
  • If you want a chewier cookie, slightly reduce the baking time by one or two minutes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyfelix.com/pecan-pie-cookies/