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Pumpkin Pecan Shortbread Cookies with Spiced Honey Drizzle

These warm, buttery shortbread cookies are infused with pumpkin and toasted pecans, topped with a delightful spiced honey drizzle.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Use 2 sticks.
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree Not pumpkin pie filling.
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
For the spiced honey drizzle
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch ground ginger
  • pinch salt

Method
 

Prep and toast pecans
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast 6–8 minutes, watching closely. Let cool, then chop coarsely.
Make the shortbread base
  1. In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer). Scrape down the bowl once.
  2. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. The mixture might look a little loose—this is okay.
Add dry ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Gradually add to butter mixture, mixing on low until just incorporated. Stir in toasted pecans by hand.
Chill the dough
  1. Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Roll and cut
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter (2–2.5 inches) and place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
Bake
  1. Bake 12–14 minutes, or until edges begin to turn golden and bottoms are lightly browned. Rotate pans halfway through for even baking. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Make the spiced honey drizzle
  1. While cookies cool, warm honey gently in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Warm until just runny—do not boil.
Drizzle and finish
  1. Using a spoon, lightly drizzle spiced honey over cooled cookies. Let the honey set for a few minutes before serving, or serve slightly warm for extra gooey joy.

Notes

For easier preparation, consider pressing the dough into a baking pan to make bars instead of cookies. Various nuts can be substituted if needed.