These Sourdough Discard Mini Pecan Pie Cookies combine a soft, buttery cookie base with a gooey pecan-pie-style filling. They’re a great way to use leftover sourdough discard, especially when you want something smaller and easier than making a whole pecan pie.
Recipe Details
Sourdough Discard Mini Pecan Pie Cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 30–45 minutes
Bake Time: 11–14 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 18–22 mini cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sourdough discard, unfed
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the Mini Pecan Pie Filling
- 1 cup (110 g) finely chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup (70 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Make the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Stir in the sourdough discard until the mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until a soft cookie dough forms. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies tough.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30–45 minutes. Chilling makes the dough easier to shape and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
2. Prepare the Pecan Pie Filling
In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, egg yolk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
Stir until everything is evenly coated and the mixture looks thick and sticky.
3. Shape the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls.
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them.
Using the back of a small spoon or your thumb, gently press a deep indentation into the center of each dough ball.
Fill each indentation with approximately 1 teaspoon of pecan pie filling. Don’t overfill, because the filling will bubble slightly as it bakes.
4. Bake
Bake for 11–14 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly golden and the centers look set.
The pecan filling should look glossy and slightly bubbly.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
The filling will become thicker as the cookies cool.
Tips for Perfect Sourdough Discard Pecan Cookies
Use unfed discard. This recipe is perfect for discard that has been sitting in the refrigerator and isn’t active enough for bread.
Chill the dough. Don’t skip this step. Chilled dough holds its shape better and produces thicker, softer cookies.
Chop the pecans fairly small. Since these are mini cookies, smaller pecan pieces make the filling easier to eat and help it stay inside the cookie.
Don’t overfill. A little filling goes a long way. Too much can overflow onto the baking sheet.
Let them cool. The pecan filling is very soft when hot but firms up as it cools.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave.
You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Place parchment paper between layers and thaw at room temperature.
Can I Make the Dough Ahead?
Yes. The cookie dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
You can also shape the cookie dough balls, make the center indentation, and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. Add the pecan filling just before baking for the best texture.
Can I Use Active Sourdough Starter?
Absolutely. Active starter can be used in place of sourdough discard. Since this recipe uses the sourdough primarily for flavor and moisture rather than fermentation, there is no need to change the amount.
Ingredients:
Butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pecans, maple syrup.
Temperature: 350°F (175°C)
Method: Make cookie dough → chill → prepare pecan filling → shape cookies → add filling → bake → cool.
Nutrition Estimate
Per cookie, assuming 20 cookies:
- Calories: ~175
- Carbohydrates: ~20 g
- Protein: ~2 g
- Fat: ~10 g
- Saturated Fat: ~4 g
- Sugar: ~11 g
- Fiber: ~1 g
- Sodium: ~75 mg
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients and cookie size.
