Pecan Pie Cookies
Baking season starts with these pecan pie cookies. They’re chewy, buttery, deeply caramelized, and filled with toasted pecans and chunks of pecan pie bark. Make sure to use light brown sugar here — it gives the cookies that deeper, warmer flavor.
And please do not skimp on the pecan pie bark. It’s the whole point!
These bake up soft in the center, golden at the edges, and full of that sticky pecan pie flavor in cookie form.
Highlights
Chewy, buttery, deeply caramelized cookies filled with toasted pecans and pecan pie bark.
Uses light brown sugar for a deeper, warmer flavor.
Features homemade pecan pie bark topped with dark chocolate.
Bakes soft in the center with golden edges.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
113 g brown butter, cooled
1 tsp honey
145 g light brown sugar
30 g granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ tbsp vanilla extract
165 g cake flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
80 g finely chopped toasted pecans
205 g pecan pie bark, chopped and cold
Pecan Pie Bark
85 g unsalted butter
1 tsp honey
120 g light brown sugar
45 g heavy cream
30 g corn syrup or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Big pinch of salt
125 g toasted pecans, chopped
150 g dark chocolate, melted
Make Pecan Pie Bark
Melt Ingredients: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, honey, brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt together.
Thicken Caramel: Let the mixture bubble for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently, until glossy and slightly thickened.
Add Pecans: Add the chopped toasted pecans and mix until fully coated.
Spread Layer: Transfer the pecan filling to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into a thin layer.
Freeze Filling: Chill in the freezer for about 1 hour, or until firm.
Add Chocolate: Spread the melted dark chocolate over the chilled pecan layer.
Set Bark: Return to the freezer until fully set and the bark peels cleanly off the parchment.
Chop and Chill: Chop into pieces and keep chilled until ready to use in the cookies.
Make the Cookie Dough
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, cream together the cooled brown butter, honey, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined and slightly lightened.
Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth, glossy, and slightly fluffy.
Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until a soft cookie dough forms.
Fold Nuts: Fold in the finely chopped toasted pecans.
Fold Bark: Add the cold chopped pecan pie bark and gently fold it in.
Scoop Dough: Scoop the dough into cookie dough balls and place onto a lined baking sheet.
Chill Dough: Chill for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for the best texture.
Bake
Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange Dough: Space the chilled cookie dough balls apart on the baking sheet.
Bake Cookies: Bake for 14–16 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
Shape Warm Cookies: Remove from the oven and scoot the cookies while warm, if needed.
Top Cookies: Press a few extra pieces of pecan pie bark or toasted pecans on top while warm.
Cool: Let cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
Keep the pecan pie bark cold until the second you add it to the dough. It softens quickly, and you want those caramel-pecan pockets to stay chunky.
These are delicious warm, but they get even chewier once cooled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or chill them if you love a firmer, fudgier cookie.
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Download the Fantastic Pastry Cookies Ebook Here
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Pecan Pie Cookies
Baking season starts with these pecan pie cookies. They’re chewy, buttery, deeply caramelized, and filled with toasted pecans and chunks of pecan pie bark. Make sure to use Demerara or dark brown sugar here — it gives the cookies that deeper, warmer flavor.
And please do not skimp on the pecan pie bark. It’s the whole point.
These bake up soft in the center, golden at the edges, and full of that sticky pecan pie flavor in cookie form.
Ingredients
- 113 g brown butter, cooled
- 145 g dark brown sugar
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tbsp vanilla extract
- 165 g cake flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 80 g finely chopped toasted pecans
- 205 g pecan pie bark, chopped and cold
- 85 g unsalted butter
- 120 g dark brown sugar
- 45 g heavy cream
- 30 g corn syrup or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Big pinch of salt
- 125 g toasted pecans, chopped
- 150 g dark chocolate, melted
Instructions
- Melt Ingredients: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt together.
- Thicken Caramel: Let the mixture bubble for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently, until glossy and slightly thickened.
- Add Pecans: Add the chopped toasted pecans and mix until fully coated.
- Spread Layer: Transfer the pecan filling to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into a thin layer.
- Freeze Filling: Chill in the freezer for about 1 hour, or until firm.
- Add Chocolate: Spread the melted dark chocolate over the chilled pecan layer.
- Set Bark: Return to the freezer until fully set and the bark peels cleanly off the parchment.
- Chop and Chill: Chop into pieces and keep chilled until ready to use in the cookies.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, cream together the cooled brown butter, Demerara sugar, and granulated sugar until combined and slightly lightened.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth, glossy, and slightly fluffy.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until a soft cookie dough forms.
- Fold Nuts: Fold in the finely chopped toasted pecans.
- Fold Bark: Add the cold chopped pecan pie bark and gently fold it in.
- Scoop Dough: Scoop the dough into cookie dough balls and place onto a lined baking sheet.
- Chill Dough: Chill for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for the best texture.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange Dough: Space the chilled cookie dough balls apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 14–16 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Shape Warm Cookies: Remove from the oven and scoot the cookies while warm, if needed.
- Top Cookies: Press a few extra pieces of pecan pie bark or toasted pecans on top while warm.
- Cool: Let cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
Keep the pecan pie bark cold until the second you add it to the dough. It softens quickly, and you want those caramel-pecan pockets to stay chunky.
These are delicious warm, but they get even chewier once cooled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or chill them if you love a firmer, fudgier cookie.
