Pecan Pie Cookies
These delicious pecan pie cookies are a nice addition to your fall dessert table. Perfect for Thanksgiving though we like them all year long. Filled with a scoop of gooey, sugary pecans, these cookies are the ultimate dessert for just a bite of pecan pie flavor.
These are the perfect cookies for cookie exchanges this holiday season. Though we love our Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, Pumpkin Spice Thumbprint Cookies, and of course, those delicious Crispy Snickerdoodles, these Pumpkin Pie cookies are our new favorite.
If you’ve got kids coming to Thanksgiving dinner, you’ve got to make time to put together these Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes. You can even leave the decorating to them!
What You Need To Make These Cookies
Key Ingredients
- Sugar: Granulated is best.
- Unsweetened applesauce: Your favorite brand or homemade.
- Flour and baking soda: For the base of the cookies
- Pecans: The base of the filling
- Canned coconut milk: Though you will read over and over that I like the refrigerated brand, these cookies need the full-fat canned version! This makes these cookies dairy-free, too.
- Brown sugar and maple syrup: We used light brown sugar and real maple syrup.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and directions.
How to Make Pecan Pie Cookies
Making the Cookies
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, baking soda, and salt, stirring to combine. Set aside.
Combine oil, granulated sugar, apple sauce, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients quickly for 1-2 minutes on low to medium speed or until combined well.
Add in the dry ingredients, mixing until completely combined. The batter will be very thick. If the batter is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk or water.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the batter to chill for at least 30 minutes. This will reduce the spreading of the cookies.
Making the Filling
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of coconut milk. Set aside.
Combine coconut oil with 4 tbsp coconut milk, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly.
A translucent syrup will form and begin to simmer. Reduce heat to medium to low heat.
Add in the chopped pecans and bring the syrup to a low boil for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until it’s beginning to reduce.
Add in the cornstarch mixture, vanilla, and cinnamon, stirring consistently for 2-3 minutes until it’s very thick. Check thickness by making sure it takes at least 2 full seconds for a cleared area in the pan to fill back in.
Remove the pan from heat and set it aside until it cools completely. It will thicken more.
Putting the Cookies Together
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, add slightly heaping amounts of dough and roll into cookie dough balls. Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet, leaving 2-3” between each cookie.
Using a spoon, press cookies down, creating a deep well in the center of each ball. Be careful not to go too deep as to puncture the cookie.
Place just under a tablespoon of filling in the center of each cookie well.
Bake the pecan pie cookies for 9-11 minutes until they are firm and just golden around the edges. Remove cookies from the oven, tapping the tray once to help the cookies to settle. Don’t they look good?
Variations and Substitutions
If you prefer making homemade applesauce, add 1-2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk or water to thin the consistency.
Try coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar. It is a 1:1 ratio, so it measures the same, but it offers more caramel flavor, like brown sugar. With the switch, you will get a richer cookie version.
Instead of applesauce, try mashed ripe bananas or pumpkin puree to add a flavor twist to the cookies.
You can swap with plant-based ingredients and use a flax egg to make vegan pecan pie cookies. Just know that the texture and flavor of the cookies will vary a bit.
You are welcome to use gluten-free flour to replace all-purpose flour. Measure the gluten-free flour blend as directed. Most are 1:1 swaps.
Add ground nutmeg, cloves, or even ginger to give the cookies a warm spice flavor.
You can swap the pecans with walnuts or even hazelnuts for a twist. Just finely chop the nuts.
You can use a dairy-style or plant-based milk of your choice.
If you want to speed up the prep, you can make a cake mix cookie base and then whip up the filling for a quicker pecan pie cookie recipe.
How to Store Pecan Pie Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. This helps to keep cookies a bit crisp.
These pecan pie cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to one month. Thaw the cookies before eating.
Tips For Making Pecan Pie Cookies
Allowing the cookie dough to be set up in the fridge before you bake is vital, as it will help create those melt-in-your-mouth tender buttery cookies. Otherwise, they will spread and not hold shape as well when they are baked.
Do not add too much pecan pie filling to the center of the cookie as it can overflow, spill out, and burn in the oven.
Place your cookies on a cooling wire rack to allow them to fully cool before storing them in an airtight container.
Using a cookie scoop ensures that all the cookies are the same size, which ensures they will be baked evenly in the oven. Otherwise, if you guess when scooping cookies, it can cause some cookies to be undercooked or overcooked.
A stand mixer or hand mixer works wonderfully for creaming the ingredients together. This easy cookie recipe requires minimal effort to whip up the cookie dough.
More Fall Desserts
Pecan Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie:
- ½ cup neutral oil canola, sunflower, vegetable, 120ml
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce* 120ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5ml
- ¼ cup powdered sugar 30g
- 1 tbsp cornstarch 8g
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 330g
- 1 tsp baking soda 5g
- ½ tsp kosher salt 3g
Filling:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch 8g
- 6 tbsp coconut milk full fat 90ml
- 1 cup chopped pecans 115g
- 2 tbsp coconut oil 30ml
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar 70g
- 3 tbsp maple syrup 45ml
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5ml
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, baking soda, and salt, stirring to combine. Set aside.
- Combine oil, granulated sugar, apple sauce, and vanilla in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients together on low speed for 1-2 minutes until combined well.
- Add in the dry ingredients, mixing until completely combined. The batter will be very thick. If the batter is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk or water.
- Cover the bowl and allow the batter to chill for at least 30 minutes. This will reduce spreading of the cookies.
Make filling:
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of coconut milk. Set aside.
- In a sauce pan, combine coconut oil with 4 tbsp coconut milk, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly. A translucent syrup will form and begin to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low.
- Add in the chopped pecans and bring the syrup to a low boil for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until it’s beginning to reduce.
- Add in the cornstarch mixture, vanilla, and cinnamon, stirring consistently for 2-3 minutes until it’s very thick. Check thickness by making sure it takes at least 2 full seconds for a cleared area in the pan to fill back in.
- Remove the pan from heat and set it aside until it cools completely. It will thicken a bit more.
Put Cookies Together
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, add slightly heaping amounts of dough and roll into balls. Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet. Leave 2-3 inches between each cookie.
- Using a spoon, press cookies down creating a deep well in the center of each ball. Be careful not to press through the cookie as you could create a tear.
- Place just under a tablespoon of filling in the center of each cookie well.
- Bake the pecan pie cookies for 9-11 minutes until they are firm and just golden around the edges. Remove cookies from oven, tapping the tray once to help the cookies to settle.
- Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then move them to a cooling rack.
