Haven’t you ever wanted just a tiny bit of pecan pie? Not a whole slice, but just a cookie-sized piece you can pop in your mouth? Well, here it is: Pecan Pie Cookies. So easy and fun to make – and you can get everyone involved!  This one is a perfect community cookie-pie experience.  With a glorious combo of cookie + pecan pie sauce, this will make any southern gal smile.  So grab the gang to help prepare these beauties and make sure you don’t have any slackers in the kitchen. Let them pour that glorious pie-like filling all over these pecan pie cookies and make them work for their dessert.  YUM!

How to…

1. Dough Master – The dough preparation is simple.  The tricky part is shaping it into a roll.  Not to worry, though, as the dough can be easily manipulated by the warmth of your hand to form the dough into the shape of a block. Pop it into the fridge to firm it up a bit.  Then once the dough is chilled, give it an easy roll back-and-forth to round out the edges.  If the dough warmed up too much, then pop it back in fridge before you cut it.
2. Nut Massage – Give it a good massage back and forth in some nuts.  I know, I know, I know, how can you not giggle at the sound of that.
3. Karate Chop – Now slice those lovely rounded medallions as if you’re playing a game of Fruit Ninja. Make sure the cookies look nice and round like a pie.
4. Pecan Topping – Top that baked pie-shaped round cookie with the pecan sauce.  Smother it!  It is messy, but so worth it.

I was inspired by Mindy Segal’s pecan thumbprint. I added a bit more butter and gave it a different look to Sweet Nerd it out.  If you prefer something more contained, the thumbprint is less messy and just as delicious.  These pecan pie cookies get all the credit, from that crumbling-in-your-mouth goodness to the sweet addiction of the pecan, buttery, brown sugar topping.

The gooey, sticky, wonderful praline pie topping is an easy one-pot sauce. This is a perfect recipe for us busy moms and can be executed in less than 15 minutes if you have all your pieces pre-made.

For all of you ‘nerdy planners’ out there…you will this recipe.  I make the dough, cut it, and freeze it into the medallion shapes (just ziploc it and freeze it – so easy!).  Next, I make the sauce and keep it in the refrigerator. (Don’t worry if it solidifies, that’s normal when it chills).  

It’s showtime!  Bake your medallions (and yes, they can go directly from the freezer to the oven). While they’re baking, warm up the sauce in a saucepan over a low temperature, and get it to a smooth consistency again.  If you are really short on time, microwave it in 15 second intervals until it is pourable.  If you get the sauce too hot, it will be runny, and in that case, just let it solidify at room temperature a bit more and then pour.  Don’t worry, it tastes all the same, and you can eyeball the thickness of the sauce to your liking.

I served these pecan pie cookies to my siblings when we were all together on our last trip, and let’s just say that the “crack and smack” proved true!  Lots of thankful kisses and some serious addiction.

Recipe Credits: Mindy Segal, Cookie Love

Photos by: Maria Hedrick Photography

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Pecan Pie Cookies

By TheSweetNerd  Cookies

February 15, 2018

Recipe Credits: Mindy Segal, Cookie Love

• Prep: 40 mins
• Cook: 30 mins

Ingredients

Cookies

1 3/4 cups toasted, salted pecan pieces

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes

Pecan Praline Sauce

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cups toasted, salted pecan pieces

1 cup crushed beer nuts (or nuts of your choice) for rolling logs

Directions

Cookies

1Food Processor: Pulse the pecans and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until a fine meal forms but before the nuts start to release their oils. If you don't have a food processor, don't worry, pop it into a ziploc and pound it with a mallet or a hammer.

2Mixer (w paddle): Mix the butter briefly on medium speed for 5 to 10 seconds. Add the nut mixture (with sugar in previous step) and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat together until the butter mixture is aerated and pale in color, approximately 4 minutes. Briefly beat in the vanilla. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to bring the batter together.

3Bowl: Whisk together the flour and salts.

4Mixer: Add the dry ingredients all at once to the mixer until dough comes together but still looks shaggy, approximately 30 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to bring the batter together. Mix for another 10 seconds on medium speed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Bring dough together by hand.

5Wrap: Stretch out a several sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface and put the dough on top. Shape the dough with your hands into logs about 8 inches long and wrap each one separately. Refrigerate until chilled throughout, and then remove from refrigerator for their final shaping. Roll into a smooth log. Roll onto crushed nuts (I used beer nuts). Then, cut into 3/4"-1" sized medallions.

6Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple of half sheet pans with parchment paper.

7Bake for 8 minutes, rotate, and bake for another 4 minutes or until just light brown. Let cookies cool on rack.

Pecan Praline Sauce

1In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Mix in the maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salts and stir until homogenous. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes to thicken. Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Let the mixture reduce for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the nuts. You will have approximately 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

2Pour over baked cookies in dollops. Be sure to get a few pecans on each cookie. Serve warm!

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