More Thumbprint Cookies! Yay. These delectable Pumpkin Pecan Thumbprint Cookies are so perfect for fall, holiday or Christmas Cookie baking. Each cookie has a very small spoonful of Pecan Pumpkin Butter. If you haven’t had your fill of pumpkin desserts yet, this will surely cure those sweet tooth cravings! My son picked up a jar of this delicious Pecan Pumpkin Butter at Williams Sonoma awhile back. I knew it was time to dig it out of the pantry and put it to good use. I’m so glad I did. Pumpkin Pecan Thumbprint Cookies turned out amazing.

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We had several people comment from John’s office about how much they loved Thumbprint Cookies. “You know those cookies with the dab of jelly in the middle!” I decided to make several kinds last week: Blueberry, Lemon Curd, Peach and these fantastic jewels. All of them turned out extraordinarily well. I wasn’t sure how a Pumpkin Butter would do, but I thought, “Why not???” Well “butters” as in apple, peach or pumpkin work incredibly well with these tasty treats.

You never know if you’re going to have a mess on your hands when you try out something new. I’m glad the Pumpkin Butter cooked up beautifully without running all over the place or any other disaster. Most Thumbprint Cookies use jams or preserves in the center. I really like this different twist on a delightful Christmas cookie.

These are not the easiest Christmas cookies to make. I crunch the dough (crumbs) in my hands. After one crunch with my right hand I move the dough to the left hand and crunch with that hand. I crunch the dough about 50 times total (and pretty fast) before the dough is pliable enough. By that time, all the ingredients are adhering together and I can crunch the dough into a ball. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or extremely weak fingers, then you need to look for a different recipe. If you’re not ambidextrous when you start, you will be by the time you finish this recipe. 🙂

For a single batch it takes me about 15-20 minutes to roll the dough (crumbs) into balls. The rest is pretty easy. If the dough crumbles when you try to make a thumbprint in the tops, simply pick up the dough and rework it about 15 more times. It should come together and not crumble when you try to put your thumb into the balls. Spoon very small one-quarter teaspoonfuls of pumpkin butter; bake, and then glaze when cool. Yummy. These are delightful.

If you’re looking for a terrific recipe for fall or holiday baking, please give these scrumptious Pumpkin Pecan Thumbprint Cookies a try. You’ll be swooning over every bite. 🙂

Pumpkin Pecan Thumbprint Cookies are awesome.

When you want the taste of fall, these are the cookies to bake.

They’re also delightful to make for Christmas Cookie Exchanges.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the cookies. Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter can be found at Williams-Sonoma stores.

Soften butter. Add sugar, salt and vanilla.

Mix ingredients with an electric mixer to combine.

Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. (Bleached flour toughens baked goods).

Stir ingredients with a heavy metal spoon to combine. Chill dough one hour.

You can also mix on very low speed of an electric mixer until combined but you will have to chill the cookies after setting them on baking sheets for a second time.

Grab a handful of crumbs in your hand. Scrunch with your hand very tightly before transferring the crumbs to your other hand. Scrunch dough each time alternating between your right and left hands. (This will save wear and tear on your dominant hand).

It usually takes 40-50 crunches in your hands before the crumbs will adhere together and become pliable enough to work like dough.  Shape dough into a golf ball-sized ball (or slightly smaller).

Place balls on greased cookie sheets.

Place a thumbprint into each cookie. If the cookie crumbles, simply pick it up and rework it about 15 more times. By then all the ingredients should be malleable enough to shape into a ball. The dough will not crumble apart when it’s been worked enough. (This is a little like kneading bread dough).

Spoon about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of Pecan Pumpkin Butter into each thumbprint cavity.

Bake 15-20 minutes at 350, or until done. Allow cookies to cool.

I used these ingredients for the vanilla glaze.

Whisk ingredients to combine.

Spoon glaze into a zip-lock bag. Cut off a very small corner. (This was four batches).

I do not recommend putting this much icing in the bag or it will come out of both ends making a mess. 🙁

Place cooled cookies on a cooling rack. Pipe icing over top of each cookie. I had been icing cookies for almost an hour by this time so my hands gave out. The lines don’t look near as pretty as the ones at the beginning. 🙂 

Pumpkin Pecan Thumbprint Cookies are heavenly.

Every bite will have you drooling.

These are terrific cookies for holiday or Christmas baking.

Pumpkin desserts are the best!

Here’s the recipe.

PUMPKIN PECAN THUMBPRINT COOKIES

(My own concoction)

These cookies make delectable treats to share with your office staff.

Pumpkin never tasted so amazing as in these Pumpkin Pecan Thumbprint Cookies.

Good down to the last bite.

These little bites are terrific for fall or holiday baking.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies