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These Crumbl Pecan Pie Cookies taste just like a slice of pecan pie in cookie form, soft, buttery sugar-cookie base, gooey brown-sugar pecan topping, and warm holiday spice in every bite. Inspired by the Crumbl Thanksgiving cookie, this easy copycat version lets you bake them anytime without waiting for the seasonal menu to return.
They’re crowd-pleasing, bakery-style cookies that look impressive but are surprisingly simple to make, perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or whenever you’re craving a cozy fall dessert.
If you love Crumbl copycats, try my Crumbl Pumpkin Roll Cookies, Maple Pecan Loaf, or Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Bars
This is our family‘s favorite holiday cookie by far. Everywhere I take them people love it.
LEt’s Chit Chat!
I’ve been testing Crumbl copycat cookies for years, and this one’s a favorite in our home every Thanksgiving. If you’ve made any of my other Crumbl dupes, this recipe will be right up your alley! And of course, if you want the whole Thanksgiving Crumbl line-up, try my Crumbl Pumpkin Pie Cookies and these Crumbl Apple Pie Cookies!
I refreshed this post with new tips and answers to your most-asked questions! You’ll now find details on how to freeze the cookie dough ahead of time (so you can bake straight from frozen when holiday chaos hits), plus troubleshooting notes for a few common baking issues readers mentioned. I also added a guide for making smaller, catering-sized Crumbl pecan pie cookies, perfect for Thanksgiving dessert tables or gifting.
Why you need to make this recipe!
- Soft sugar-cookie base + buttery pecan filling
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Make-ahead friendly for Thanksgiving gatherings
- Bakery-style look with easy pantry ingredients
Ingredients You’ll Need for Crumbl Pecan Pie Cookies and Why They Matter
Each part plays a role in recreating that classic Crumbl flavor and texture
- Butter-Provides richness and that classic Crumbl melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Oil– Use either vegetable or canola oil for these cookies.
- Granulated sugar & powdered sugar– The granulated and powdered sugar work together to sweeten the cookie base.
- Brown sugar– Gives the pecan filling its deep caramel flavor.
- Egg– The egg is the binding agent in your sugar cookies or pie crust cookies.
- Vanilla– The vanilla is used for both the cookie as well as the pecan pie filling.
- Flour– You can use AP flour for this recipe. Either use a scale or spoon and level your flour to get the right measurements.
- Salt– The salt will help balance out the sweetness of these cookies.
- Baking powder– The baking powder will give a little height to these cookies. Make sure to use fresh baking powder for the best texture!
- Pecans– Can’t have pecan pie without pecan! You can use whole pecans and chopp them or use chopped pecans.
- Heavy cream – The heavy cream is used to make the pecan pie filling.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg– Warm spice notes balance the sweetness, don’t skip these!
Nut Substitutions: You can swap pecans for walnuts or toasted almonds, both provide a great crunch and pair well with the caramelized filling. For a nut-free version, try toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for texture without the allergens.
Gluten-Free Option: To make these cookies gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur). Make sure your flour contains xanthan gum for structure, if not, add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour. The texture will be slightly softer, so chilling the dough before baking helps prevent excess spreading.
How to Make Crumbl Pecan Pie Cookies Step-by-Step
This is how you can make these Thanksgiving dessert-inspired cookies. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions!
- Cream the butter, oil, and both sugars until creamy.
- Add in the egg, vanilla, and mix again until smooth.
- Mix in the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears.
- Scoop out 9 equally sized cookie dough balls, now either flatten them gently with the palm of your hand then press the center with a 1/4 cup measuring cup.
- Bake in the preheated oven then top with the pecan pie filling.
Make the pecan pie filling
- Mix the butter, brown sugar, and pecan together in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir often until the sugar is dissolved in the butter.
- remove form the heat and add in the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Give it a good stir and let it cool down for 5-10 minutes before topping the cookies with it.
Expert Tips
- Make the filling a few hours ahead, it thickens as it cools.
- Bake on parchment for the cleanest bottoms.
- Toast the pecans for deeper flavor.
- Chill the dough if your kitchen is warm, helps prevent excess spread.
Quick Troubleshooting
- Cookies spread too much: Your butter was likely too soft or the dough too warm. Chill the dough for 15–20 minutes before baking.
- Filling ran off: The pecan filling was too hot. Let it cool at least 10 minutes until thick and glossy before topping.
- Grainy filling: Stir constantly over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. If it crystallizes, add a splash of cream and stir smooth.
- Dry or crumbly cookies: Too much flour or overbaking. Spoon and level your flour or use a kitchen scale, and pull the cookies while centers still look slightly soft.
Frequently asked questions – FAQ
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Warm 10 seconds in the microwave for that gooey, fresh-baked texture again.
That usually means the sugar overheated or wasn’t fully dissolved. Keep the heat on medium and stir constantly until the mixture looks glossy and smooth before adding cream.
Yes! After shaping the cookie dough balls and pressing the centre wells, flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Then transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag, separating layers with parchment paper. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven, place the frozen dough on a baking sheet, and bake for 1–2 minutes longer than the original bake time. Then add the filling once baked.
Absolutely. Instead of making 9 large cookies, make 18 smaller ones. Use about half the dough size for each cookie, reduce bake time to around 7 minutes (check the edges for set), and top each with slightly less filling. They’re perfect for serving larger groups or as bite-sized treats.
Crumbl pecan pie cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/3 cup oil vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 & 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
Pecan pie filling
- 5 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 & 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F then line a baking sheet with parchement pape and set aside.
- Cream the butter, oil, sugar, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer.1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup oil, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Add the egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until combined, using a large cookie scooper, scoop out 9 equally sized cookie balls, place them on the prepared baking sheet, gently flatten them to about 1 inch in thickness, then using a 1/4 measuring cup, press down the center of the cookie to make room for the pecan pie filling.2 & 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder
- Bake for 8-9 minutes then cool on the baking sheet.
Make the pecan pie filling.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix the butter, brown sugar, and pecans until the butter and sugar are dissolved. Make sure to stir from time to time to get all the pecan coated in the buttery sugar mixture. You want the mixture to bubble for 1-2 minutes.5 tbsp butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 & 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- Add in the cinnamon nutmeg, salt, heavy cream, and vanilla, and whisk to combine.1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 pinch nutmeg, 1 pinch salt
- Remove from heat, and top the cookies with the pecan pie mixture. Let it cool down for 20-30 minutes then enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Freezing: Cookies freeze well up to 2 months. Cool completely, store in airtight container with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temp and microwave 10–15 seconds for gooey filling.
- Bake Time: Oven temps vary, cookies are done when edges are set and centers are slightly soft. They firm up as they cool.
- Make Ahead: Bake cookies ahead and add filling on serving day for best texture.
- Cookie Size: For smaller cookies, reduce baking time and size of filling well accordingly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these last fall & couldn’t stop eating them , so delicious!! The baking time ( for me) is off though. I put them in for 9 mins & they looked underdone. I added 4 mins to the baking time & they were a little better but still soft after setting for a hour or so. Anyone else have this issue? Other than that, this is sucj a wonderful recipe! Thank you!
I’m -literally- in the middle of baking them as I type this and am now over by 11 minutes from the 9 minutes suggested (so 20 minutes total). Not really sure what I did wrong. They are probably an inch in height on the sides, but only half an inch or so in the center. Maybe that’s my mistake? Doesn’t make sense to me. It’s too late to help me now. lol
Hi Stephanie! It sounds like the centers spread more than the edges, which can happen if the cookies are pressed a little too deep in the middle before baking. Next time, try making a shallower indent and baking just until edges are set, they’ll finish cooking as they cool.
I tried these and they turned out perfect! I even gave some of them to my friends the next day, and they all loved them! Highly recommend this recipe<3
I love hearing that! Glad everyone enjoyed these!
These cookies are better than the pie! My cookies spread so I didn’t really have a “well” but it didn’t affect the taste. They were so good.
These are the most amazing cookies I’ve ever made! Taste SOOOO good and ridiculous easy to make. Everyone loved them and I had to make a second batch 2 days later as they disappeared.
Thank you for your recipe and all the love you clearly put into your baking!! Delicious – 5 stars for sure!!! 😍
Thank you so much for trying these out Olivia! These are definitely the perfect holiday cookies for sure!
These were better then the original from crumbl!!! Saved in my recipe book forever.
I am so happy to hear you liked these!
Chahinez
These are absolutely to die for, and do easy! Thank you so much!
You’re welcome Kelsey!
Hi-These have a wonderful taste but my cookie dough seems slightly underdone. I made even smaller sized cookies than the suggested 9 or 16. I made 22 and baked for the suggested 7 min for 16. They were underdone so I left them in for an additional 2 minutes and they still seem very soft on the bottom. Are they supposed to be that way? I am worried that storing in an air tight container that they will be even softer after time. Any suggestions?
Hi Doreen!
Letting the cookies cool down on the baking sheet will continue baking the cookies so they shouldn’t be so soft after cooling. They won’t get too soft when stored in an air tight container.
chahinez
amazing !! the texture of the sugar cookie is perf to imitate pie crust !
I am so happy to hear you liked it 🙂 !
This was the recipe that solidified me as the office baker. Everyone fell in love with them, I was so glad I doubled the batch because they were like a personal pecan pie! Love all your recipes!!
You go girl!!! I am so happy to hear that you’re the office #1 baker thanks to these cookies 😛
chahinez
Made these for thanksgiving and loved them so much I made mini sized ones for a Christmas cookie swap!
Oh. My. Word. ( southern accent) these are so good .. family loved them … thank you for this recipe.. fun and easy to make
You are so welcome Nicole! Thank you so much for the review, they always make my day!
chahinez