This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
If November could be baked into a cookie, it would definitely be these pecan pie cookies with butter pecan frosting. Soft, buttery sugar cookies, frosted generously with creamy butter pecan frosting, and finished off with a drizzle of chocolate. Sooo much to love here! And perfect for entertaining, so be sure to include these cookies atop your Thanksgiving tableโฆyour guests will be so glad you did!
{This post is sponsored byย Land OโLakes}
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
With the excitement of Thanksgiving in the air, Iโm very happy to be sharing these pecan pie cookies with you all today. There are many things I love about the months of both November and December, but one of my favorite things? The excuse to enjoy a cookie, or two, and not feel an ounce of guilt. I always say that balance is key. But come November, all bets are off.
The holidays only roll around once a year, so I like to fully embrace them. Thatโs what makes them so special. For me, that means baking cakes, pies, and cookies and enjoying them with family and friends. Whoโs with me on this?
In a little less than two weeks, the studio barn will be filled with our family and friends for Thanksgiving. These cookies are high on my list of must makes for everyone to enjoy throughout the day.
Prior to moving to Colorado, Thanksgivings were always spent at my great auntโs house in Pennsylvania. Aunt Debbie makes a butter cookie that everyone refers to as โturkey cookiesโ,ย and theyโre delicious. Theyโve always been a favorite of my moms. She talks about them every Thanksgiving. And every Thanksgiving I try to recreate them, but Iโve yet to come close.
Until this year!
Mom declared these pecan pie cookies to be just as good as a โturkey cookieโ. Actually, she said better. If Mom is saying that, that means these cookies are REALLY good.
The sugar cookie is made up of my go-to sugar cookie base. Sweet Land OโLakes butter, brown sugar, and a good amount of vanilla extract; simple but delicious. Using high quality butter is key, as the flavor really shines through in both the cookies and the frosting. Land OโLakes salted butter is always my go-to. I keep my refrigerator stocked at all times during the holidays.
I cut my cookies into autumn leaves, but you can really use any shape you like. Or simply cut the cookies into circles. And of course, if you happen to have a turkey cookie cutter, that would be so cute!
For the frosting, I drew inspiration from my favorite pecan pie. I mixed up a butter pecan frosting thatโs out of this world good. There are two simple secrets to this frosting.
One, use a mix of brown sugar and powdered sugar. Powdered sugar adds practically zero flavor. The brown sugar adds hints of warm molasses and really deepens the flavor to create a frosting thatโs perfectly rich and sweet.
The second secret, vanilla and bourbon toasted pecans. These are simply addicting. And when chopped up and sprinkled over each cookie?
SO GOOD. Like pecan pie, but in cookie form.
I finished the cookies off with a drizzle of chocolate, to really seal the deal. The chocolate is not a must have, but you all know that around hereโฆa drizzle of chocolate is NOT optional. Always need a little chocolate. Always.
Iโm super excited to serve these cookies up as part of our Thanksgiving menu this year. Theyโre the perfect make ahead cookie that can be left out all day for easy snacking, from sunup to sundown.
Oh, and a little tip? Bake a double batch of these, especially if youโre serving lots of people. Stopping at just one cookie really isnโt possible. Trust me, I speak from experience.
If you make these pecan pie cookies please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to also tag me onย Instagram!ย Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
watch the how to video:
Pecan Pie Cookies with Butter Pecan Frosting
Ingredientsย
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) Land O Lakesยฎ Salted Butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter Pecan Frosting
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) Land O Lakesยฎ Salted Butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- melted chocolate, for drizzling
Instructionsย
- 1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, beat until combined and the dough forms a ball.2. Generously flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure youโre using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies using your desired shape (I used a leaf). Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place the sheet into the freezer, freeze until firm, about 10-15 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining disk of dough.3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes (for soft cookies) or until just lightly golden brown. Do not over bake. Cool on the baking sheet five minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.4.ย In a medium sauce pan, melt together 4 tablespoons butter, the cream, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute or until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl in the freezer (or fridge for longer) for 15-20 minutes or until cool to touch.5. On a parchment lined baking sheet, combine the pecans, bourbon โ if using, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted. Remove, let cool 10 minutes, then roughly chop the pecans.6. Grab the cooled butter mixture from the freezer and add the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, the remaining teaspoon of vanilla, and the powdered sugar to the bowl. Beat together until well combined.ย 7. Frost each cookie and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Drizzle with chocolate. Store cookies in an airtight container for up 3 days.ย
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
{This post is sponsoredย byย Land OโLakes. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
is there really 2551 kcal per cookie!
Hi there,
I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. Itโs not something weโd prefer to be using. We are required to. Iโm sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
Hi! Iโm making these 3 days before thanksgiving. Is it ok to store in freezer until the day of?
Hey Gina,
You bet, that will work well for you! I hope you’ve this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hi there! I have made these cookies many times and they are definitely a favorite! I have a friend that is gluten intolerant though. Can I replace the flour for almond flour at a 1:1 ratio?
Hey Amy,
I would recommend using Cup4cup GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other question. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made these last year and family LOVED them!! So did I ? These are definitely going to be a tradition
That is so great! Thank you Danielle! xTieghan
Hello Tieghan!
I tried these cookies in preparation for the holiday season and they came out soooooo goooooood. It was a hit with my cousin’s family and I am definitely going to make it for Thanksgiving or Christmas or BOTH. I am kind of new to baking, so my frosting skills need practicing. I was wondering if you are planning on making any tutorial videos for frosting and decorating these babies?
Your end product always looks like a masterpiece. I wish I could at least get half way there ๐ Step by step video might help.
Thank you again for being such an inspiration!
Put it back for the new one i regularly share the best ways to have new and interesting products a head.
Thanks Dolly! xTieghan
Hi! I wasn’t able to reply to your comment on a previous comment, but I was inquiring about making them vegan…. ANYWAYS, I used coconut milk, vegan butter and egg replacer where needed and they turned out amazing. I also did the same with the frosting —— ummm that stuff if so good I could bathe in it. I did notice that the icing would melt if it stayed out of the fridge too long but I’m attributing that to our hot Australian climate…. 10 thumbs up! Thanks for the inspiration!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Heidi! Thank you!
Would you suggest making and keeping the dough in the fridge for a few hours or a day? I have so many things to bake, I thought I would get a jump on making the batter ahead of time.
HI! Yes you can make the dough ahead and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?