Brown Butter Pecan Pie Cookies
Browning the butter before it meets the dough gives these cookies the same toasty base as pecan pie, while a maple-thickened pecan filling goes straight into each thumbprint. The filling is simmered on the stovetop first so it sets into a soft, gooey center instead of running out in the oven. Bake just until the edges brown and the centers still jiggle — they finish setting as they cool.
Dessert · Fall, Pecan, Baking • 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
- For the cookie dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the pecan pie filling:
- 1½ cups (170g) pecan halves
- ½ cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)
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Steps
- Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the pan, until it foams, then turns deep golden with brown specks and smells nutty, 5–7 minutes. Pour into a large heatproof bowl and let cool until just warm but still liquid, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, 4–5 minutes. Roughly chop and set aside.
- Make the filling: In a small saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the beaten egg a little at a time, followed by the vanilla and salt. Stir in the toasted pecans and set aside to cool.
- Finish the dough: Whisk both sugars into the cooled browned butter until combined. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla. Fold in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a soft dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll the dough into 1½-tablespoon balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Press a deep indent into the center of each with your thumb or the back of a teaspoon.
- Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of the pecan filling into each indent, mounding it slightly.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the cookie edges are golden and the filling is set with a slight jiggle in the center. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while warm, if using.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
The dough and filling can each be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated separately; bring the dough to a workable temperature for 10 minutes before shaping. For freezer cookies, assemble the filled, unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months — bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of bread in the container keeps them soft. Reheat briefly in a 300°F oven to re-soften the filling.
Substitutions
Walnuts replace the pecans one-for-one, though the flavor is milder. Honey or light corn syrup can stand in for the maple syrup in the filling. For a nut-free version, swap the pecans for an equal volume of chopped bittersweet chocolate and fold it into the filling just before spooning. Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the dough if needed.
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
