Pecan Pie Cookies

 

Ingredients for Pecan Filling:
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pecan flour

Ingredients for Pecan Cookies:
1 egg, beaten
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour or (gluten-free without xanthan gum)
1 cup pecan flour, ground fine

Directions for Pecan Filling:
1. Beat the egg in a medium-size mixing bowl.  Add the butter and sugars to the egg.  Add the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and whip them together.  Whip in the pecan flour until all the ingredients are incorporated, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula.  Put aside.
2.  In a separate mixing bowl beat the egg.  Add the butter, sugar, and vanilla.  With an electric mixer whip until creamy.  Add the salt, cinnamon, and flours.  Whip until incorporated, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula.  
3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Use a 2 TBS cookie scoop and drop round balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet approx. 3 inches apart.  With your thumb make a hole/well in the center of each ball, not pressing all the way down to the bottom of the cookie.  Fill each hole with no more than 1 TBS of the filling.  Bake for approx. 12 mins or until golden brown.  Let cool completely before removing the cookies from the baking sheet since cookies will be soft in the center.  

Makes 32-34 cookies