Description
Homemade pecan pie surprise cookies blend southern charm with unexpected cookie magic. Sweet pecans and rich caramel hide inside buttery cookie shells, creating irresistible treats that surprise and delight with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pecan Pie Surprise Cookies
Main Ingredients:
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (85 grams) chopped pecans
Sweet Components:
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (70 grams) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) light corn syrup
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) melted butter
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick spray.
- Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until smooth and uniform, then gently fold in vanilla extract.
- Gradually incorporate flour into the mixture, mixing at low speed until just combined, then increase speed to create a soft, pliable dough.
- Shape the dough into compact 1-inch spheres, positioning them evenly across the prepared baking sheets with slight separation.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla until thoroughly blended.
- Fold chopped pecans into the syrup mixture, ensuring even distribution of nutty fragments.
- Using your thumb, create a gentle depression in the center of each dough ball.
- Carefully spoon the pecan pie filling into the indentations, ensuring each cookie receives a precise amount.
- Transfer the loaded baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, watching for a light golden transformation and subtle caramelization of the filling.
- If filling bubbles over during baking, delicately redirect it back into the cookie cavities while still warm.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to stabilize, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Cool these cookies completely before storing to maintain their delicate texture and prevent sogginess.
- Use room temperature butter for smoother dough that blends more easily and creates better cookie consistency.
- Gently press thumb into dough balls to create shallow wells, ensuring filling stays centered during baking.
- Work quickly when filling cookies to prevent dough from becoming too warm and losing shape.
- Spoon extra caramelized filling back into cookie centers immediately after baking while still hot and malleable.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to preserve their crisp edges and rich pecan flavor.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg