For pecan pie aficionados seeking a guilt-free indulgence, these Keto Pecan Pie Cookies emerge as a delectable solution. Inspired by the renowned Crumbl Cookies, this recipe delivers a symphony of flavors and textures, all while adhering to ketogenic principles. These cookies offer a delightful alternative, allowing you to savor the essence of pecan pie without compromising your dietary goals.
A Keto-Friendly Take on a Classic Dessert
These cookies are like little hand-held pecan pies. They capture the essence of traditional pecan pie while adhering to low-carb nutritional guidelines. Each cookie is a carefully crafted miniature dessert that captures the essence of traditional pecan pie while adhering to low-carb nutritional guidelines. The soft almond flour cookie base pairs perfectly with the gooey pecan filling, making them the ultimate mini pecan pies.
Why You'll Love These Keto Pecan Pie Cookies
- Delicious: The buttery cookie and sweet, gooey pecan filling create a flavor combo that’s seriously hard to resist.
- Easy: This recipe is super simple-even if you’re not an expert baker, you’ll nail it.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s holiday gatherings, a casual party, or just a cozy snack at home, these cookies fit right in.
- Great for Gifting: These cookies make the cutest homemade holiday gift!
- Perfect Texture: The soft, chewy cookie paired with crunchy pecans is honestly a match made in heaven.
- Make Ahead: You can prep the dough ahead of time and bake fresh whenever you need.
Ingredients: The Building Blocks of Keto Cookie Perfection
One of the best parts about this gluten-free thumbprint pecan pie cookie recipe is that it needs only a few easy-to-find, naturally low-carb ingredients. To ensure the success of these keto-friendly cookies, it's crucial to select the right ingredients:
- Almond Flour: Finely ground, blanched almond flour works best for any kind of keto cookies. I always go for blanched, superfine almond flour for the smoothest texture.
- Confectioners Sweetener: A finely powdered sweetener helps give the cookies the right shortbread-like consistency. It should be an erythritol-based sweetener, as allulose will make the cookies softer and they will brown more. Use powdered sweeteners like erythritol, allulose, or monk fruit.
- Butter: Make sure it is properly softened but not melted before creaming it. Butter adds that rich, creamy flavor to the caramel filling, really enhancing the overall taste. If you’re looking for a dairy-free option, coconut oil or ghee works great!
- Egg Yolk: A single egg yolk adds tenderness to the cookie dough. The egg is key!
- Cream Cheese: I love how cream cheese adds creaminess and keeps the cookies soft.
- Vanilla Extract: Splurge on the best vanilla you can find. A splash of vanilla makes everything better!
- Baking Powder: This little ingredient makes sure your cookies come out light and fluffy.
- Xanthan Gum: It helps the cookies hold their shape so they don’t spread too much.
- Brown Sugar Replacement: Using a brown sugar substitute adds flavor and color to the pecan filling. I like using a powdered brown sugar substitute like erythritol or monk fruit for that classic caramel flavor without the carbs.
- Allulose: For a gooier filling that doesn’t recrystallize, use some allulose or BochaSweet.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy cream helps give the filling a wonderful consistency. You could also use coconut cream but it may be a little thinner.
- Chopped Pecans: Can’t have pecan pie cookies without some pecans! Toast the pecans for the ultimate flavor boost-they add such a rich, nutty taste. Make sure they are chopped relatively finely so the filling sits in the cookies properly.
- Salt: Salt is a must.
Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Keto Pecan Pie Cookies
These low-carb pecan pie cookies are my favorite cookie recipe since they taste incredibly delicious and are super easy to make.
Part 1: Cookie Dough
- Make the Cookie Dough: Combine the softened butter, cream cheese, and sweetener in a mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy.Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a dough forms.
- Once the dough is ready, cover it and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, allowing it to firm up. Place the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up.Add almond flour, coconut flour, sugar free sweetener, xanthan gum and salt to a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add cold butter & cream cheese. Pulse until coarse crumbled form. Add egg and vinegar. Pulse until dough ball forms. Place cookie dough in between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll out with a rolling pin until dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Place in the refrigerator to cool for 20 minutes.
Part 2: Forming and Baking the Cookies
- Form the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a large cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.Once ready, pre-heat your oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form dough into 1.5-inch balls.
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and form it into 1.5-inch balls. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. When your dough is ready, scoop out 1.5-inch balls. I love using a cookie scoop here for uniform sizing. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll into balls about 2 inches in diameter.
- Place the dough balls onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving some space between each. Place the balls several inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and press down to about 1/2 inch thick with the palm of your hand. Place the balls down on the sheet, then press an indentation into the cookies by using your thumb or the back of a spoon. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
- Now, for the fun part- use your thumb or the back of a spoon to press a little well into the center of each cookie. Take a rounded tablespoon or other rounded implement and press a large indent into each cookie. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to gently press a small indent into the center of each ball, creating a well for the pecan filling.
- Bake 5 minutes then remove from the oven and use a flat-bottomed glass to flatten again to about ¼ inch thick.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until just beginning to brown around the edges. Pop the cookies in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before handling. Return to the oven and bake another 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet. Let cool completely on the pan (the cookies will firm up as they cool). Once they’re done, let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove and let cool completely. Remove and gently reform the wells while the cookies are still hot. They will still be very soft and puffed. During baking, the cookies will puff up a little and the indents you created won’t be as deep. Make sure to re-form the wells right after the cookies come out of the oven and are still warm.
Part 3: Pecan Pie Filling and Assembly
- Toast the Pecans: Add the chopped pecans to the pan and cook them for about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently to toast the pecans lightly. While cookies are baking, add chopped pecans to a pan over medium-low and toast for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Use toasted pecans that are relatively finely chopped. You don’t want them ground, but you want small enough pieces that they sit nicely in the cookies. If you don’t purchase them already toasted, place them on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Prepare the Pecan Pie Filling: While the cookies are baking, prepare the filling. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar until fully dissolved and bubbling.While cookies are baking, add chopped pecans to a pan over medium-low and toast for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.In a separate saucepan, combine the butter and allulose over medium heat until bubbling and shiny. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and sweeteners. Stir until the sweeteners dissolve, then bring to a boil.
- Stir in the chopped pecans, heavy cream, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Then, stir in the chopped pecans, heavy cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Add the toasted pecans, heavy cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to taste. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens a little, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
- Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool for a few minutes. Let the Filling Cool Slightly: After making your delicious pecan filling, give it a few minutes to cool down before spooning it into the cookies.
- Assemble the Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled, fill each little cookie with your pecan pie filling. Spoon the mixture into the wells of the cookies and let cool. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Generously spoon the pecan pie filling into each of the indentations. Now comes the best part! Once the cookies have cooled, fill each little cookie with your pecan pie filling.
Tips for Perfect Keto Pecan Pie Cookies
- Soften Your Butter and Cream Cheese: Make sure your butter and cream cheese are fully softened before mixing. This will help your dough come together smoothly without any lumps.
- Use a Cookie Scoop for Even Size: To get those perfectly even, bakery-style cookies, use a cookie scoop.
- Let the Cookies Cool Properly: I know it’s tempting to dive in right away, but let your cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes first.
- Let the Filling Cool Slightly: After making your delicious pecan filling, give it a few minutes to cool down before spooning it into the cookies. Trust me, this step keeps your cookies from getting too soft and helps them hold their shape better.
- You are free to use other sweeteners, but I want to point out how they might affect your results. This keto cookie recipe does take several different sweeteners for the best results. In the cookie itself, I recommend a powdered erythritol sweetener for a crisper cookie. You can use allulose or xylitol based sweeteners, but keep in mind that the cookies will be softer and may brown more quickly. For the filling, a mix of sweeteners like Brown Swerve and allulose work best. This gives a deeper pecan pie color and gooier consistency. Erythritol alone will make the filling harden and recrystallize as it cools.
- Make my cookies large to be more like a Crumbl cookie. But you can easily make 24 smaller thumbprints and have 2 per serving. They will bake faster to keep your eye on them in the oven. They will probably take about 12 minutes.
Variations to Spice Things Up
- Drizzle with Melted Chocolate: For an extra indulgent touch, drizzle the cooled cookies with melted chocolate. While cooling, drizzle melted chocolate on top of each cookie.
- Sprinkle with Sea Salt: After filling the cookies, sprinkle a tiny bit of flaky sea salt on top.
- Maple Pecan Filling: Substitute some brown sugar with pure maple syrup for a maple-flavored twist.
- Coconut Pecan Filling: Add shredded coconut to the pecan filling mixture for a tropical flair.
- Berry Jam Filling: Fill the cookies with your favorite sugar-free berry jam (like raspberry or blueberry) for a fruity twist, just like we did with your thumbprint cookies.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Blend cream cheese with powdered sweetener and vanilla extract.
Storing Your Keto Pecan Pie Cookies
- Fridge - store these keto pecan pie cookies in the fridge for up to six days.
- Store the cookies in a covered container on the counter for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- You can also freeze the cookies for several months.
Nutritional Information and Keto Diet Compatibility
Pecans are a perfect food for low carb and keto diets. They are quite low in carbs and high in healthy fats. A 1/4 cup serving of pecans has only 4g of carbs and 3g of fiber. They are also a good source of unsaturated fats and vital nutrients such as Vitamin A and magnesium.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Most pecan pie cookies made with flour and sugar have about 25g of carbs per cookies. But these keto cookies have only 5.5g of carbs and 2.9g of fiber. Thus, they have 2.6g net carbs per serving. And with only 2.6g net carbs per serving, these cookies are the perfect holiday treat! Each serving is a single cookie, but trust me, you won’t need more than that.
Addressing Common Questions
- Are pecans ok for the keto diet?
- Pecans are okay to have on the keto diet - in moderation. Don’t go hog wild! In fact, pecans have the lowest net carbs out of any type of nut. In 1 cup of chopped pecans, there are only 4.2g net carbs.
- Can I substitute almond flour with another type of flour?
- Almond flour is a key ingredient in these keto cookies, but if you need a substitute, you can try using sunflower seed flour. Just keep in mind that the texture and flavor may vary.
- What can I use instead of sugar-free sweetener?
- If you prefer a different sweetener, you can use erythritol or monk fruit sweetener as a 1:1 replacement. Just make sure it’s also keto-friendly!
- Is there a dairy-free option for these cookies?
- I have not tested this myself but palm shortening or coconut oil will probably work.
- Why don’t these low carb cookies take any eggs or baking powder? Won’t they fall apart?
- As mentioned above, these are shortbread style cookies. The recipe works as written and trust me, as long as you are using finely ground almond flour, they hold together just fine!
- Can I use a different sweetener?
- Please be sure to read the How To section. If you want a crisp cookie, the sweetener MUST be erythritol based, with no allulose or xylitol in the blend. As long as the main ingredient is erythritol, other sweeteners such as Lakanto should be fine.
- I don’t like pecans, can I add something else?
- Absolutely! Many readers have enjoyed these as low carb chocolate chip cookies too.
- How should I store leftover keto pecan pie cookies?
- You can store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
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