Description

These pecan pie cookies offer a delightful shortcut to dessert heaven, featuring the warm aroma of toasted pecans and sweet caramel in a convenient, chewy cookie form. They are perfect for a quick family treat after a busy weeknight, combining crispy edges with a gooey center.

Ingredients

1.5 cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
0.5 cup unsalted butter (113 g), softened (or use salted butter and reduce added salt by 0.25 teaspoon)
0.75 cup light brown sugar (150 g), packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
0.5 teaspoon baking soda
0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup pecans (115 g), chopped
0.5 cup caramel bits or sauce (150 g) (Chopped soft caramels also work well if you can’t find bits!)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven & Prep Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two standard baking sheets with parchment paper. This ensures easy cleanup and prevents sticking.
Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale, about 2-3 minutes. This aerates the base for your chewy caramel nut bites.
Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until they are just well combined into the butter mixture, about 1 minute. The batter should look smooth and uniform.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. (If the dough looks too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk until it comes together.) Be careful not to overmix, or your pecan pie cookies might be tough.
Fold in Nuts & Caramel: Gently fold in the chopped pecans and caramel bits with a spatula. Ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough, giving every cookie a bite of that delicious filling.
Scoop & Flatten: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1.5-inch balls) onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. Lightly flatten each cookie mound with the back of a spoon or your fingers for uniform baking.
Bake Until Golden: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are just set but still look slightly soft. My oven tends to run a bit hot, so I usually pull them at 10 minutes to keep them extra chewy. They will continue to set as they cool.
Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This crucial step helps them firm up and develop that perfectly chewy texture before you dive in.

Notes

To ensure chewy caramel nut bites, do not overbake (pull when edges are golden). For best texture, measure ingredients accurately, preferably using a kitchen scale. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack to allow them to firm up. Consider using organic pecans and natural caramel sauce. Walnuts or a mixed nut blend can substitute pecans. For dairy-free, use plant-based butter and dairy-free caramel. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Enhance flavor with a pinch of flaky sea salt, a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, or a splash of non-alcoholic bourbon or rum extract. To make healthier, reduce brown sugar by 0.25 cup or add 0.25 cup rolled oats for fiber. For lower-carb, explore almond flour and sugar-free caramel options.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 180 calories
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 95 mg
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 2 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg