Double Pecan Thumbprints
Notes
- Light-colored pans (with fresh parchment) work fine.
- Makes WAY too much frangipane. Half the recipe would still be more than enough.
- Need more than 26 g pecans to decorate cookies.
Yield
24 cookies.
Ingredients
Frangipane
- ¾ cup (80 g) pecan halves
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp. espresso powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. almond extract
Dough and Assembly
- 1 ¼ cups (130 g) pecan halves
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar; plus more for rolling (required) and serving (optional)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
Steps
Frangipane
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly toast pecans (for the frangipane and for the cookie dough) on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, 6–8 minutes. Let cool; set 1 ¼ cups (130 g) pecans aside for making the dough.
- Pulse granulated sugar and remaining ¾ cup (79 g) pecans in a food processor until nuts are very finely ground (be careful to stop before they become a paste), 30–60 seconds. Add egg white and pulse just to blend, then add butter, espresso powder, salt, and almond extract. Pulse just until mixture is smooth and combined. Scrape frangipane into a small bowl and chill at least 30 minutes before using.
Dough and Assembly
- Pulse flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 cup (105 g) reserved pecans in clean food processor until nuts are very finely ground, about 1 minute.
- Beat butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined and no streaks remain.
- Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until it’s firm enough that you can scoop it and it will hold its shape, 30–45 minutes.
- Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°.
- Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Working in batches, scoop out tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls between your hands, then roll in powdered sugar, knocking off any excess. Transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets as you work, spacing 2” apart.
- Bake cookies until puffed but edges are still soft, 6–8 minutes. Carefully remove from oven and make an indent in the center of each cookie with the handle end of a wooden spoon or a similar heatproof object. Spoon a heaping ½-teaspoonful of frangipane into each and top with a pecan half from remaining reserved ¼ cup (26 g). Return cookies to oven and continue to bake until edges are set and very lightly browned, 6–8 minutes longer. Let cool on baking sheets.
- Just before serving, dust cookies with more powdered sugar if desired.
Make-Ahead Notes
- Frangipane can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.