By Genevieve Ko
- Total Time
- 1½ hours, plus chilling and cooling
- Rating
- 4(767)
- Notes
- Read community notes
These portable takes on pie are for nut lovers. The rich crunch of toasted pecans runs through them, from the brown sugar shortbread to the tender praline center. Ground nuts make the cookies both crumbly and crisp. More pecans are packed into the filling, which combines a deep sweetness with the texture of a soft caramel. A candy thermometer helps ensure the filling doesn’t end up saucy or chewy; it runs like lava during assembly, then sets as it cools. You can skip the filling for a batch of buttery cookies, or make it on its own to use as an ice cream topping. The assembled cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days.
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Ingredients
Yield:20 to 24 cookies
- 1½cups/150 grams pecan halves, toasted
- 2cups/255 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
- 1cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
- ⅓cup/40 grams packed confectioners’ sugar
- ⅓cup/75 grams packed light brown sugar
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1large egg yolk
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1cup/220 grams packed light brown sugar
- ⅓cup/80 milliliters dark corn syrup
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1tablespoon bourbon or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾cups/175 grams pecan halves, toasted and finely chopped
For the Cookies
For the Filling
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (22 servings)
332 calories; 23 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 19 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 120 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the cookies: Combine the pecans and ½ cup/65 grams flour in a food processor or blender and pulse until the pecans are coarsely ground with pebbly bits remaining.
Step
2
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars and salt on low speed until creamy and smooth. Scrape the bowl and add the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl and add the pecan mixture and remaining 1½ cups/190 grams flour. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Press into four ½-inch-thick squares and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
Step
See AlsoTwo Ingredient Cream Biscuit RecipeChristmas Stamped Cookies Recipe - My Gorgeous RecipesHomemade Spam Recipe - What, Why, and How5 Homemade Flavored Butter Recipes3
When you’re ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 dough square on a generously floured surface and sprinkle with more flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll to a scant ¼-inch thickness, moving and flouring the dough as needed to prevent sticking. Using a floured 2½-inch round cutter, cut out rounds as close together as possible and transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet, using a thin spatula if necessary, spacing them ½ inch apart.
Step
4
Gather the scraps, roll and cut again. If desired, cut out a 1-inch circle from half of the cookies using a cookie cutter or the wide end of a pastry tip. If your dough becomes too soft to cut after rolling, pop it in the freezer until firm again.
Step
5
Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cool the cookies completely on the sheets on wire racks.
Step
6
Make the filling: Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot if you have one. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to melt the butter. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until dark brown and thickened to the consistency of caramel sauce, 2 to 4 minutes. The candy thermometer should register 230 degrees. Remove from the heat and carefully add the bourbon. Stir until incorporated, then stir in the pecans until evenly coated.
Step
7
Flip over half of the cookies. Carefully scoop a tablespoon of the hot filling and scrape it onto a cookie with another spoon. Spread it in an even layer with the spoon and very gently press another cookie on top to sandwich. Flip the sandwich over so the filling can set evenly. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Cool completely.
Ratings
4
out of 5
767
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Cooking Notes
Emily M
Could you just roll the dough into a 2.5 inch log and cut off 1/4" after it chilled?
Jonathan
Don't like using corn syrup, I have had success substituting maple syrup, and I like the flavor, and they become "Maple-Pecan Sandwich Cookies."
Dana Murphy
why call for expensive pecan halves when you just put them in a food processor? pecan pieces are cheaper and halfway there.
Margaret
Brilliant idea to roll into the log and freeze/refrigerate, then slice- made them today and worked perfectly!
Linda
Thought the same thing, maybe two shorter logs. That way you’d use all the dough and no re-rolling.
marbsmama
Dental floss would make clean cuts in a well-chilled log
Emily V
Honestly that sounds like a great idea.
Helen
Emily M1 day agoCould you just roll the dough into a 2.5 inch log and cut off 1/4" after it chilled.
Pam
You may need to freeze this soft dough to cut the log. I do this sables all the time.
Lee
You could substitute Lyle’s Golden syrup for the dark corn syrup. Or maple syrup.
Chowchap
Can you freeze these cookies?
Becky
I just made these, and the filling direction may need some adjustment. I set the filling heat to medium-high, and on my stove at least, that was WAY too high. I ended up with hard candy (which was delicious, but useless), so the filling temp must've been quite a bit higher than 230. Plus, 230 seems to be the wrong target temp anyway. I checked Joy of Cooking for the second attempt at the filling, and the target range is more like 234-244. Hovering around 241 degrees F, the filling was perfect.
Barbara
I wouldn’t make these unless you have a candy thermometer— we didn’t, and the filling never turned dark or caramel consistency so we ended up leaving it on too long waiting for it to turn. The filling was a fine consistency until it hardened on the cookies— making them tooth breakers. Overall, much less work to just make a pecan pie!
corn syrup
I have used Lyle’s golden or a light rice syrup for years. Lyle’s is a bit sweeter so I use a tad less.
Ada
Delicious and fun. I cooked the filling to higher than asked and even re-warmed it while putting cookies together to keep it spreadable. Next time I will chop the filling nuts finer so the filling lays flatter between the layers. I used vanilla which tastes great but I can’t wait to get some bourbon because I’m sure that will be amazing.
Sophie
The pecan shortbread is divine! I actually felt the pecan pie filling a tad overwhelming, too sweet, to overpowering, and too much of a hassle. Instead, I filled these cookies with a thin layer of hazelnut cocoa butter. Absolutely stunning!
5 stars
I loved this recipe. Easy to follow clear instructions with a delicious result. Except I only baked the cookies for 9 minutes, and perhaps rolled them a bit thinner than a quarter inch. Heeded the warning of other reviews and made sure not to over boil the filling for danger of creating a rock hard candy, but it really wasn’t hard to get the right texture. Don’t need a candy thermometer. Took me a LOT longer than one and a half hours, but maybe that’s because I was making a double batch?
L,D,+F
Very good concept, but we would definitely recommend less sugar! Our cookies turned out insanely sweet. Add a little more salt as well!
pecan paul
The flavor was good, but not worth the messy, complicated prep. I’ll make a pecan pie next time
Harte Fare
Yummy but filling way too sweet. Not a big caramel guy I guess. Very good biccy though. Would try and adapt w buckwheat / similar for a crunchier, more MORIKAGE crunch. Too buttery and simple as it. Also needs a tad more salt even w salted butter. Would be lovely w either maple buttercream or as a dark choc digestive, etc. Sandwich / hole on top not necessary and adds quite a bit of prep time / faff.
adeline Talbot
I made these for the first time last night and had no trouble with the dough, in fact I thought it was pretty lovely to work but after reading so many comments about troubles with it I wonder if it’s because of a mistake I made. I read the first step as ‘combining the pecans & the 2 sugars’. Once I realized my mistake I just creamed the butter on its own before adding the egg & vanilla and then flour nut combo. Beautifully soft but workable dough.
ppasqual
I followed the instructions exactly. The biscuit was excellent - delicate and buttery, and easy to roll out. The filling was another story. I used a candy thermometer and took the pot off the burner when the temperature was 230. The filling was too hard - and I felt I needed to issue a warning to eaters - beware of losing a loose filling. The taste was fine - any suggestions for my next try?
Joel Jones
For me, the shortbread here is too delicate for the filling.I use my regular Scottish shortbread recipe, tweaked for ground nut additions, and it was perfect. These were so good they will now be a permanent addition to my Christmas cookies.
MemE
Very fussy but worth it
Judy
Absolutely delicious!Instead of a circle cut out of the top layer - cut a shape. I cut a heart and it looked beautiful!
Yvonne C. Foery
I substituted agave for corn syrup with good results. 2” cookies are too large, rolling a log about 1” thick and cutting slices 1/4” thick works well.
Lisa
I didn’t change the ingredients but mixed it all in the food processor, then tried rolling it into a log. Dough was too soft to get a nice smooth log. After chilling, sliced a bit over 1/8” thick (which was plenty thick), but they were oddly shaped. Definitely agree about using candy thermometer for filling... got to 130 long before it looked ready. Cookies were delicious, next time I will roll out and cut rather than slicing a log. Makes enough filling for 2 batches!
Mark Shelton
Followed this recipe meticulously twice; both times the cookie dough is crumbly and all but impossible to roll out. Maddening and frustrating. I suspect the dry ingredient volume is wrong but I weighed the volumes on the second try and there was no real difference.
Jen
These cookies have me thinking I’ll make these from now on instead of pie. So delicious—not too sweet sable cookie with a gorgeous bourbon-laced candy filling. One note is that the filling recipe is generous! I usually find that I run out of filling in typical recipes but this one had me putting more in as I went along. Definitely going to be on rotation for a special cookie.
Jeanne
I agree with others that 15 minutes is too long for these cookies - especially if you cut out the hole for the decorative look in the picture. 12 minutes, tops.I hadn't made candy in a while and forgot that the temperature of the liquid will continue to rise once it hits the magic mark. So, soft caramel filling. I used a T. scoop & frosting knife sprayed with cooking spray to get the filling on to the cookies. Pot back on the warm burner about 1/2 way through. Leftovers = soft caramels. :)
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