Method (cookies)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan and line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper.
2. Add the butter and sugars into a mixing bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip with a hand mixer or the stand mixer until light and creamy.
3. Add the milk. Whip again until combined.
4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Mix until just combined.
5. Scoop the cookie dough into balls (approximately 45g each) using spoons or an ice-cream scoop.
6. Roll each cookie dough ball in sugar.
7. Lightly flatten the cookie dough balls, and use the back of a spoon or clean fingertips to make a well in the middle of the cookies. The bigger the well, the larger amount of pecan pie filling the cookies can hold. Set aside.

Method (pecan pie filling)

1. In a small bowl, mix together the cornflour and water until it’s a paste.
2. Add this into a medium sized saucepan along with the butter, sugar, maple syrup and roughly chopped pecan nuts.
3. Cook this on low / medium for approximately 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens, and turns into a sticky caramel. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
4. Fill each well inside the cookies with the pecan pie filling. This may spread when baking if overfilled.
5. Place the cookies on the baking tray, making sure they have space as they will spread slightly.
6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden.
7. Once baked, remove the trays from the oven, use a round cookie cutter to help shape the cookies. Use the cookie cutter to scoot the cookies into a circle as they will have spread out in the oven.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray.

Method (decoration)

1. In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment, add in the whipping cream and whip on high speed until thick. Alternatively use an electric hand whisk.
2. Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle.
3. When the cookies are 100% cool, pipe a swirl of cream to the top of each cookie (see photos for reference).
4. Optional – to give the cookies more sweetness and added flavour, add a drizzle of maple syrup which compliments the cookies perfectly. 
5. Top with a whole pecan nut (optional), serve and enjoy!