Best 7 Butter Pecan Thumbprints Recipes

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Indulge in the delectable symphony of flavors that is butter pecan thumbprints, a classic confection that blends the richness of butter and pecans with a tender shortbread crust. These bite-sized treats are perfect for any occasion, whether it's a casual gathering or a festive celebration. With their melt-in-your-mouth texture and irresistible pecan filling, these cookies are sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. This article presents a collection of butter pecan thumbprint recipes that cater to different dietary preferences and skill levels, ensuring that everyone can enjoy this timeless classic. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey that will redefine your cookie experience.

Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!

PECAN PIE THUMBPRINT COOKIES



Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies image

These Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies are such an easy way to get your pecan pie fix without having to bake a whole pie. Tender, flaky, buttery shortbread cookies are filled with a sweet, gooey, caramelized pecan pie filling for a cookie eating experience that's just too tasty to be true!

Provided by Maegan - The BakerMama

Categories     Dessert

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans

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 THUMBPRINT COOKIES



Pecan Thumbprint Cookies image

This versatile recipe couldn't be easier or yummier! Switch things up by using several different jams or jellies. -Georgia MacDonald, Dover, New Hampshire

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 40m

Yield about 1-1/2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup preserves or jelly of your choice

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well., Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in egg white, then in pecans. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Cover and freeze until firm. Transfer cookie dough balls to a large resealable plastic freezer bag. May be frozen for up to 3 months., To use frozen cookie dough: Place dough balls 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 17-20 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks. While warm, fill each with a teaspoonful of preserves. Cool completely.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 142 calories, Fat 9g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 25mg cholesterol, Sodium 73mg sodium, Carbohydrate 15g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.

PECAN PIE THUMBPRINTS



Pecan Pie Thumbprints image

A good buttery dough and nutty filling take time to make, but the results are so worth it. After munching on a few, I think you'll agree.- Peggy Key, Grant, Alabama

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 40m

Yield 4-1/2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolks and corn syrup. Gradually beat in flour. Refrigerate, covered, until firm enough to roll, 30 minutes., For filling, in a small saucepan, combine confectioners' sugar, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in pecans. Remove from pan; refrigerate until cold, 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 375°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites; brush over tops., Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Gently press an indentation in center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Fill each with a scant 1/2 teaspoon pecan mixture. Bake until edges are light brown, 4-5 minutes longer., Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 86 calories, Fat 5g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 18mg cholesterol, Sodium 37mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

FESTIVE THUMBPRINTS



Festive Thumbprints image

I never cared for jam-filled thumbprints, so I decided to fill them with frosting instead. This makes them easy to ship, which you can't do with the sticky jam filling. I sent these to my daughter while she was serving in Iraq, and they made the long haul in perfect condition. -Wendy Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 40m

Yield about 4 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Colored sprinkles or nonpareils
FILLING:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup 2% milk
8 ounces white candy coating
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Red and green food coloring

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Place sprinkles in a shallow bowl or bowls., Shape dough into 1-in. balls; dip tops in sprinkles. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb. Bake until edges are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Using a wooden spoon handle, enlarge any indentations that may have narrowed or closed. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool., For filling, bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add candy coating and vanilla; stir until smooth. Divide filling between 2 bowls. Using food coloring, tint filling in one bowl red and in the other bowl green. Spoon fillings into indentations; let stand until set.,

Nutrition Facts : Calories 114 calories, Fat 6g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 17mg cholesterol, Sodium 53mg sodium, Carbohydrate 14g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

BUTTER AND JAM THUMBPRINTS



Butter and Jam Thumbprints image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 1h8m

Yield about 24 to 30 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from pod, or 1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
  • In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.
  • Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.
  • Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. (For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.) Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve.
  • Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

THUMBPRINTS WITH DULCE DE LECHE, NUTELLA OR JAM



Thumbprints With Dulce de Leche, Nutella or Jam image

Thumbprints are the simplest of cookies, but these are packed with flavor from freshly toasted nuts, each paired with its own filling: pecans with dulce de leche (or homemade caramel sauce, if you have some on hand), hazelnuts with Nutella, or pistachios with a festive pool of red currant jelly in the center. Choose a single combination, or make a batch of each. These cookies benefit from forming the thumbprint halfway through baking, but if you can't take the heat, let the dough soften a bit and then press the thumbprints into the dough before baking.

Provided by Susan Spungen

Categories     snack, cookies and bars, dessert

Time 1h

Yield 3 dozen cookies

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 ounces/85 grams whole hazelnuts (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons), whole pecans (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons), or whole pistachios (about 2/3 cup)
2 1/4 cups/290 grams all-purpose flour, plus 2 teaspoons
1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup/135 grams granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup dulce de leche (for pecan cookies), Nutella (for hazelnut cookies) or red currant jelly (for pistachio cookies), for filling
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts or pecans out on a small baking sheet and cook in oven, shaking several times, until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. If using hazelnuts, transfer to a bowl to cool, cover with a folded dish towel, then rub off the skins. (No need to toast the pistachios.)
  • Once cooled, transfer the nuts to a food processor, preferably a mini one. Add 2 teaspoons flour and pulse just until nuts are finely ground, being careful not to overprocess.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Add egg yolks and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl a few times as needed.
  • Add 1/2 cup ground nuts, the salt and the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour; beat on low speed just until combined, then increase speed and beat until dough starts to clump together. Scrape the bowl and fold a few times to make sure everything is well mixed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pinch off small pieces of dough the size of a rounded tablespoon (about 20 grams each) and roll the top half of each one in the remaining ground nuts. Place a few inches apart on parchment- or silicone mat-lined baking sheets. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 10 minutes.
  • Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven and make a thumbprint in each cookie. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, and nuts are looking toasty but not burned, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheets and transfer to wire racks to cool further. While the cookies are still a little warm, fill each one with about 1/2 teaspoon of filling, and cool completely. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

APRICOT-PECAN THUMBPRINT COOKIES



Apricot-Pecan Thumbprint Cookies image

I enjoy experimenting with cake mixes to make new cookie recipes. I love apricot, but feel free to fill the thumbprint in the center of these goodies with any fruit preserve you like. —Nancy Johnson, Laverne, Oklahoma

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 55m

Yield about 7 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 packages yellow cake mix (regular size)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup canola oil
6 large eggs, room temperature, divided use
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons water
4 cups finely chopped pecans, divided
2/3 cup apricot preserves
ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons water

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, flour, oil, 4 eggs, cinnamon and ginger until well blended., In a shallow bowl, whisk water and remaining eggs. Place half of the pecans in another shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Dip in egg mixture, then coat with pecans, adding remaining pecans to bowl as needed. Place cookies 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets., Press a deep indentation in center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Fill each indentation with preserves. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and enough water to reach a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 124 calories, Fat 7g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 88mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

Tips:

  • Use cold butter for the cookie dough. This will help to keep the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will help to incorporate air into the dough, making the cookies light and tender.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This will help to prevent the dough from curdling.
  • Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix, or the cookies will be tough.
  • Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This will help to firm up the dough and make it easier to handle.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. This will help to ensure that the cookies are all the same size and shape.
  • Bake the cookies at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set.
  • Immediately remove the cookies from the baking sheets and place them on a wire rack to cool.
  • While the cookies are cooling, make the butter pecan filling. To do this, simply combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and chopped pecans in a medium bowl and mix until well combined.
  • Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon the butter pecan filling into the center of each cookie.

Conclusion:

These butter pecan thumbprints are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. They're made with a simple cookie dough that is filled with a sweet and nutty butter pecan filling. The cookies are then baked until golden brown and the filling is set. These cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them!

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