Pecan Pie Thumbprints Recipes

PECAN PIE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cookie Dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour and beat on low until just combined and then on high until well combined and a thick, soft dough is formed. *It is important to use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment to combine the ingredients into a soft dough.
• Pinch off small portions of the dough and form into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Pecan Pie Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in the pecans until well combined.
• Lightly press your thumb into the center of each ball and fill the well with 1/2 teaspoon of the pecan pie filling. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the filling starts to caramelize on top and the cookies start to turn a light golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

PECAN PIE THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• To make dough, combine butter and cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Mix in sugars and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes more. Blend in vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed, mix in pecans, salt and flour just until fully incorporated. Cover bowl and transfer to refrigerator. Chill dough for about 30-60 minutes.
• While dough is chilling, make filling. In medium bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, corn syrup, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk just until blended. Stir in pecans.
• Preheat oven to 350?F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Scooping about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll dough into balls. Place dough balls on baking sheets 2-3 inches apart. Use your thumb (or wine cork) to make a small round indentation in the center of each dough ball, about 1 inch in diameter. Fill each indentation with some of pecan filling mixture.
• Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until light golden and set, about 16-18 minutes total. Cool briefly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack set over wax paper or foil. Let cool completely.
• To make caramel drizzle, combine the caramels and heavy cream in small microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until caramels are fully melted and mixture is smooth. If needed, add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixture reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzle caramel over cooled cookies on wire rack. If caramel begins to harden, microwave for 10 more seconds and stir to rewarm.

BUTTER PECAN THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, the egg and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed. Stir in 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking soda and salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups pecans.
• In small bowl, mix 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup pecans. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter with fork until mixture is crumbly.
• Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of each cookie to make indentation, but do not press all the way to the cookie sheet. Fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon of filling.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.