These thumbprint Pecan Pie Cookies are a bite-size twist on the classic dessert. The base is a soft, vanilla cookie and a sticky pecan filling made with rich coconut milk and maple syrup. Mildly spiced with cinnamon, these cookies have a distinctly fall / winter flavor, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. Or, let’s face it, anytime you feel like a sweet treat. They’ll keep well for a few days, and as a bonus, they are vegan and soy free (not that you’d ever know!).
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If love baking cookies like me, then you’re probably looking for new flavors to try that are a bit more adventurous than the classic Chocolate Chip. These Pecan Pie Cookies are simple to make but so delicious, with a tender, buttery vanilla cookie and a syrupy, slightly chewy pecan filling. If you are looking for mini-versions of a pecan pie, these are also a great handheld option for parties, or to bring to a holiday get together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They have a delicious sticky sweet pecan pie flavor that’s true to the original dessert, but less dense. The cookie itself is very tender and soft.
- To a beginner baker, thumbprint or filled cookies may look tricky. The good news is, this recipe is actually very easy! It comes together in under 1 hour including chill time. These cookies look so impressive though, and are beautiful served in a small gift box as a hostess gift or as holiday party favors.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses mostly basic pantry staples, plus apple sauce, canned coconut milk and, of course, pecans.
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Neutral oil (canola, sunflower, vegetable)
- Granulated sugar
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Cornstarch
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Canned coconut milk (full fat)
- Chopped pecans
- Coconut oil
- Light brown sugar
- Maple syrup
- Ground cinnamon
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step guide with photos to make Pecan Pie Cookies recipe. Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for detailed times, temperatures, and quantities.
Step One: Combine the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl.
Step Two: In a separate large bowl, mix together the oil, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Step Three: Gradually incorporate the dry mixture into the wet mixture until a thick, soft dough forms. Chill the dough.
Step Four: Create a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with coconut milk in a small bowl and set aside.
Step Five: In a pan, heat coconut oil, coconut milk, brown sugar, and maple syrup, stirring until it forms a syrup.
Step Six: Add chopped pecans to the syrup mixture and boil for a few minutes, then stir in the cornstarch slurry, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until thickened. Cool the filling.
Step Seven: Roll dough into balls, place on baking sheets, and create wells in the center of each ball.
Step Eight: Fill each well with the pecan mixture.
Step Nine: Bake the cookies.
Step Ten: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Substitutions & Variations
Looking to swap an ingredient or make a variation to this recipe? Here are some tried and tested substitutions that I recommend.
- Neutral oil: Use melted coconut oil or olive oil.
- Granulated sugar: Substitute with coconut sugar or light brown sugar.
- Coconut oil: Can be replaced with vegan butter.
- Maple syrup: Substitute with agave nectar or brown rice syrup.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the cookies.
Expert Tips
These cookies are very soft. Leave them to sit on the baking tray for a few minutes before trying to transfer to a wire cooling rack, otherwise there’s a good chance they’ll break.
FAQ
Yes, you can use a gluten-free flour blend as a substitute for all-purpose flour.
Make sure to chill the dough thoroughly before baking to help them hold their shape.
More Cookie Recipes
Looking for more cookies? Some of my other favorites are Chocolate Chip Cookies, Linzer Cookies or Snickerdoodles – they’re all vegan too! Not that you would ever know by tasting them 🙂
I hope you love these easy Pecan Pie Cookies! They’re perfect for fall baking or Thanksgiving. I’d love to know what you thought of the recipe, so please leave a star rating and review below. You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your posts to stories—I am so proud to see you make my recipes 🙂
Pecan Pie Cookies
Equipment
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
Cookie:
- ½ cup vegetable oil neutral-tasting; approx. (120ml)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (120ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (30g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (330g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (5g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g )
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)
- 6 tablespoons coconut milk (90ml)
- 1 cup pecans chopped, (115g)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (30ml)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar (70g)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (45ml)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (1g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer or whisk to combine until emulsified and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until a thick but soft dough forms. If the dough is too stiff, add 1–2 tablespoons (15–30ml) of non-dairy milk to soften. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes to help prevent spreading.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk to make a smooth slurry.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut oil, remaining 4 tablespoons coconut milk, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Stir until it begins to simmer and becomes a translucent syrup, about 3–4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add chopped pecans, and simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the filling thickens significantly – it should take at least 2 seconds for the mixture to settle when a spoon drags through the pan. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop slightly heaping 2-tablespoon (about 35ml) portions of dough. Roll into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2–3 inches apart.
- Use your thumb or the back of a round spoon to press a deep well into the center of each dough ball. Smooth any large cracks.
- Spoon a rounded tablespoon (about 12–14ml) of the cooled pecan filling into each well.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven and gently tap the tray once on the counter to help the cookies settle.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
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