Butter Pecan Thumbprints

Celebrate the Season - Fall Baking Recipe Magazine Contest 2010 shared by Mary Shivers from Ada, OK ...MORE+ LESS-

cup packed light brown sugar

1/2

cup unsalted butter, softened

egg, beaten

teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2

cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/4

teaspoon baking soda

1/8

teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt

1 1/2

cups finely chopped pecans

Filling

1/3

cup packed light brown sugar

tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

cup finely chopped pecans

tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

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1

Heat oven to 325°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
2

In large bowl, beat 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, the egg and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed. Stir in 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking soda and salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups pecans.
3

In small bowl, mix 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup pecans. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter with fork until mixture is crumbly.
4

Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of each cookie to make indentation, but do not press all the way to the cookie sheet. Fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon of filling.
5

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

"Each year, these unique thumbprints really inspire me to get in the spirit of the holiday season. I usually serve them from October through Thanksgiving and consider them a tasty prelude to the variety of nut-filled candies I make throughout December." Mary Shivers
Use a thimble or the end of a wooden spoon to make uniform indentations in cookie dough.