Chocolate Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
Soft and chewy chocolate pecan cookies filled with melted dark chocolate and topped with toasted pecan halves.
Ingredients
all-purpose flour
2 cups
salt
½ teaspoon
Dutch-processed cocoa powder
6 tablespoons
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup (2 sticks)
granulated sugar
1 cup
egg yolks
2
vanilla extract
2 teaspoons
pecans (finely ground in a food processor)
1½ cups
egg whites (beaten with a fork until foamy)
2
dark chocolate (coarsely chopped)
8 ounces
pecan halves (lightly toasted)
about 36
Instructions
1
Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two baking sheets.
2
Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3
Mix the cocoa mixture
In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and vegetable oil until well combined. Set aside.
4
Make the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, then add the cocoa mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
5
Prepare the coatings
Place the ground pecans in a small bowl. Place the egg whites in a small bowl and beat with a fork until foamy.
6
Shape and make indentations
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball first in the egg whites, then in the ground pecans, and place on the prepared baking sheets about 1½ inches apart. Using your thumb or the knuckle of your index finger, press a deep indentation into the center of each ball, flattening it into a 1½-inch round.
7
Bake
Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
8
Make the chocolate filling
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat and let the chocolate cool slightly.
9
Fill and decorate
Using a small spoon, fill the center of each cookie with the melted chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then place a pecan half on top of the chocolate.
