Description

Buttery cookie dough studded with toasted pecans and topped with a gooey, caramelized brown sugar glaze—these Soft and Easy Pecan Pie Cookies capture all the beloved flavors of traditional pecan pie in a portable, no-fork-required form. Each pillowy-soft cookie delivers the signature combination of rich butter, sweet molasses notes, and crunchy nuts that make pecan pie a holiday favorite, minus the fussy crust and hours of baking time.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookie Dough:

1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups (180g) pecans, toasted and chopped

For the Brown Sugar Glaze:

¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter
½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Spread pecans in a single layer on a separate baking sheet and toast for 7-10 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point, until they smell wonderfully nutty and have darkened slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan, then roughly chop into small pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Fold in the chopped toasted pecans with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into balls and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each dough ball slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass to about ½-inch thickness. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone and soft.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, use a thin spatula to carefully transfer cookies to wire cooling racks. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes until just barely warm to the touch before glazing.
In a small saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts completely and the mixture begins to bubble gently. Let it bubble for 2-3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in milk. Add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, whisking until completely smooth with no lumps.
Working quickly while the glaze is still warm and the cookies are barely warm, spoon or drizzle about 1 tablespoon of glaze over each cookie, spreading gently with the back of the spoon if needed. Let the glazed cookies sit undisturbed for 30-45 minutes until the glaze sets into a beautiful, glossy finish.

Notes

Room-temperature butter creates the perfect creamy texture for soft cookies. Allow butter and eggs to sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before mixing. Test butter readiness by pressing it gently—it should leave an indent but still hold its shape.
Never skip toasting pecans. Spread pecans in a single layer and toast at 350°F for 7-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Let them cool completely before chopping to prevent them from turning oily.
Cook the butter and brown sugar mixture for the full 2-3 minutes of gentle bubbling to ensure proper caramelization—undercooked glaze will be too thin and won’t set properly.
Always sift powdered sugar before adding it to eliminate lumps that create a grainy texture. The finished glaze should flow smoothly off a spoon but not be so thin that it runs off the cookies entirely.
Apply glaze while cookies are still slightly warm for the best adhesion and glossy finish.
Remove cookies from oven when centers still look slightly underdone—they continue cooking on the hot pan. Overbaking creates hard cookies instead of soft ones.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. The cookies actually improve after 24 hours.
For longer storage, freeze unglazed baked cookies in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months, then thaw and glaze before serving.
Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Let refrigerated dough sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before scooping.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes