Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies with Pecans
Sneak Preview: These lemon curd thumbprint cookies are buttery and rich with chopped pecans in the dough and tart lemon curd in the center. Skip the usual rolling and chilling—just bake, fill, and finish with powdered sugar or a quick glaze.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Are you looking for a lemon cookie to add to your Christmas cookie tray or a sweet bite to end a meal? These miniature desserts would be my first choice. You don’t have to chill the dough or do anything ahead of time. Make, bake, and serve.
A few nights ago, my husband and my Alabama sister went through my freezer looking for these cookies. After eating several, they said, “Be sure to tell everybody these are really good.”
I replied, “Thank-you. Get out of my freezer!”
What Makes This One Worth Sharing
- Small Batch Friendly: Yields just 18 cookies—perfect when you don’t need dozens.
- Lemon Stands Out: A nice change of pace on a chocolate-heavy cookie tray.
- Freezes Beautifully: Bake and freeze or freeze unbaked dough balls for later.
Shared & Loved
“I made these for a cookie exchange and was a little afraid because not everyone likes lemon the way I do. I think folks were so tired of chocolate that these were among the first to go. I will definitely make them again. I also want to put Rob on my speed dial.” —SCOOTER
Ingredients and Substitutions
- FLOUR: All-purpose; bleached or unbleached
- PECANS: Toasted and chopped; or sub your favorite nut, or omit
- SALT: Table or sea salt; add a pinch more if using Kosher
- BUTTER: Unsalted, softened; no margarine recommended
- SUGAR: Granulated white sugar
- EGG YOLK: Adds richness; save the white for this angel food cake recipe
- VANILLA: Enhances flavor—pure or imitation both work
- LEMON CURD: Homemade or store-bought; lime or orange curd also work
- POWDERED SUGAR: For finishing; or use icing instead (see Notes)
Step-by-Step Lemon Curd Cookies
➊ Toast the Pecans: Microwave or oven-toast, then chop and let cool.
➋ Mix the Dough: Cream butter and sugar, then mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour, salt, and pecans.
➌ Shape the Cookies: Roll into 1-Tbsp balls and arrange on a lined baking sheet. Chill briefly if sticky.
➍ Create Indentations: Bake for 2–3 minutes, then press a crater into each ball with your thumb or cork.
➎ Finish Baking: Return to oven for 8–9 minutes. Repress the center if needed.
➏ Fill and Bake Again: Add lemon curd to the center and bake another 8–10 minutes until golden.
➐ Cool and Decorate: Let cookies cool fully, then dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with icing.
Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies with Pecans
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (72 g) pecans, toasted and chopped (see toasting instructions)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (18 g) egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56 g) lemon curd homemade or storebought
- ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Place 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup (72 g) pecans, toasted and chopped, and ⅛ teaspoon salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Use an electric mixer to combine ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter and ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar beating until light-colored and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolk and Vanilla: Add 1 (18 g) egg yolk and ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing well.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until the dough comes together with no dry patches.
- Shape the Cookies: Scoop 1-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Chill briefly if sticky.
- Start Baking and Make Indentations: Bake for 2–3 minutes, then remove and quickly press a crater into the center of each cookie using your finger, cork, or spoon handle.
- Finish Baking: Return to oven for 8–9 minutes. Repress the center if needed.
- Fill and Bake Again: Add about ½ teaspoon lemon curd to each indentation and return to the oven for 8–10 more minutes until lightly golden.
- Cool and Decorate:Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack before dusting with powdered sugar or adding icing.
Notes
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQs About Lemon Pecan Cookies
Yes—freeze the baked cookies in a single layer until firm, then store in a sealed container for up to 1 month.
Yes—store any leftover curd in the fridge. Once cookies are baked and cooled, they’re safe at room temp for a day or two, but refrigerate for longer storage.
Lightly grease your baking sheet, but watch closely as cookies may brown faster.
Final Thoughts
If you need a dessert after a nice meal, one or two of these cookies are perfect. Keep them handy in the freezer (but you might need to hide them, like I do). Here are some more cookies to consider if you like these: Thumbprint Cookies, Pink Shortbread Cookies, and Meyer Lemon Yogurt Squares
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
The cookie recipe itself is amazing.
I opted to forgo the lemon curd and 10x sugar to cut on carbs. Instead, I added about a tblsp of grated lemon rind to dough. Thank you for that base recipe!
Janet, I like your changes. The lemon curd and powdered sugar are mostly for looks anyway. I can imagine the lemon rind gave it much more flavor. I’m going to try that the next time I make these cookies. Thanks so much for writing.
I made these with freshly ground whole wheat flour. They are very good!
I can’t stop staring at these cookies.
Okay. That’s it. Your photos are just plain dangerous. Your blog needs a warning label 🙂
Great looking cookies. Now I know how that extra jar of lemon curd in the pantry will be used for Christmas baking.
Sounds delicious and I agree with Scooter-I love lemon and am sure they are a welcome change to everything chocolate- although I love that too. Will have to try these for the holidays!
I made these for a cookie exchange and was a little afraid because not everyone likes lemon the way I do. I think folks were so tired of chocolate that these were among the first to go. I will definitely make them again. I also want to put Rob on my speed dial.
mmm…I know these would be one of my favorite since I really like lemon curd. Great food styling.
Lucky decorator! These look soooo…. good!
Girl, you KNOW that you had me at lemon! These cookies are so pretty!
I just made thumbprints cookies myself and love that you have posted a new and great recipe to an old favourite! Sounds as if everyone came out on top of this cookie-tree decorating swap!
These sound so delicious! Thanks for all the very useful tips at the end!
Good post. :+) I am still wanting more cookies right now. You have absolutely the best freezer I have ever raided. Not only are the contents good, but it is actually organized. Thanks for being a great hostess, as always –
Your decorator thinks these cookies are AWESOME!!!!! I did have to share.
I can’t wait to try these. Thumbprints are a favorite around here, but I think they’re a pain to make because there are so many steps, coating them with nuts (first, the egg whites, then the ground nuts . . .) My son read your recipe over my shoulder and said, go for it!
I wanted to post a picture of my tree but couldn’t get a picture to do it justice. You two have the magical touch when it comes to Christmas decorating.
I can’t wait to see the tree! Rob said these were delicious!
Well, I can’t steal these from your freezer, but I can steal the recipe, right? Thank you…anything lemon has my attention immediately. Anything that look this good in a photo also have my immediate attention. Looking forward to making and eating these!
Of course you can steal the recipe, Kayte. If your family likes lemon, they will love these.
I like such cookies and these looks really delicious 🙂
have a great weekend,
Paula