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 🙂
Vegan Pecan Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie:
- ½ cup neutral oil (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 flour (330g)
- 1 tsp baking soda (5g )
- ½ tsp salt (3g )
Filling:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (8g )
- 6 tbsp coconut milk (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
- Combine flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir to distribute and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oil, granulated sugar, apple sauce, and vanilla. Beat together on low speed for 1-2 minutes until well emulsified.
- Stir in the flour mixture until completely incorporated. Mixture should be very thick, but still soft. If too stiff, add 1-2 tbsp/15-30ml non-dairy milk.
- Cover and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes to reduced spreading.
Make filling:
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with 2 tbsp coconut milk to make a smooth slurry. Set aside.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, combine coconut oil, 4 tbsp/60ml coconut milk, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until a translucent syrup has formed and begins to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add in the chopped pecans. Bring to a low boil for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until beginning to reduce.
- Add in the cornstarch slurry, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir consistently for 2-3 minutes until very thick. It should take at least 2 full seconds for cleared area on the pan to fill back in.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Assemble cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175C. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop slightly heaping 2 tbsp/35ml amounts of dough. Roll into balls and place on lined baking sheets with 2-3” between them.
- Use a round spoon, a small bowl, or your fingers to press dough down and create a deep well in the center of each ball. Round out the edges so that there are minimal cracks.
- Place a scant tablespoon (12-14ml) of filling in the center of each well.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until firm and slightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven and tap the tray once to force the cookies to settle.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Bring to room temperature before eating.
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