Description
Soft, buttery cookies filled with a creamy spiced cheesecake filling and topped with a gooey brown sugar pecan pie topping and a pecan half.
Ingredients
For the cookies: 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, softened
For the cookies: 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
For the cookies: 1 large egg
For the cookies: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cookies: 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
For the cookies: 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
For the cookies: 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the cookies: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cheesecake filling: 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened
For the cheesecake filling: 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
For the cheesecake filling: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cheesecake filling: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the pecan pie topping: 1/4 cup (55 g) packed brown sugar
For the pecan pie topping: 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
For the pecan pie topping: 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup or maple syrup
For the pecan pie topping: 1 tablespoon heavy cream
For the pecan pie topping: Pinch of salt
For the pecan pie topping: 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the pecan pie topping: 1/3 cup (40 g) finely chopped pecans
17 pecan halves, for decorating
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, then stir into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
4. Roll the dough into about 17 balls, each about 1 1/2 tablespoons, and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheets. Press a deep indent into the center of each with your thumb or the back of a spoon.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. If the indents puff up, press them in again gently. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the cheesecake filling: beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
7. Make the pecan pie topping: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, and salt. Simmer, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and chopped pecans. Let cool for 5 minutes.
8. Spoon the cheesecake filling into the center of each cooled cookie, then spoon the pecan topping over the top. Press a pecan half into each cookie.
9. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes to set the filling, then serve.
Notes
Inspired by the Pecan Pie Cheesecake Cookies published by Cookie Dough Diaries (cookies stuffed with a spiced cheesecake filling and topped with a pecan pie filling, a yield of about 17 cookies, and the baked cookies topped with the pecan filling are from the source). All the ingredient amounts, the bake time and temperature, and the method are my own estimates based on standard thumbprint cookie, cheesecake filling, and stovetop pecan pie topping ratios, because the source’s quantities were not available to us. The recipe has not been tested.
Press the indents again if they puff up during baking.
Keep the finished cookies in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese filling.
Nutrition is an approximate estimate per cookie (about 17 cookies).
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 214
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 74mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 36mg