1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This keeps the bottoms golden and prevents sticking — something Mama Lu always insisted on.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy — about 3 to 4 minutes. This step is key for soft, tender cookies.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Over-mixing is a no-go here; you want a dough that’s soft but not tough.
6. In a separate bowl, stir together the chopped pecans, maple syrup, corn syrup (or honey), melted butter, cinnamon, pinch of salt, and orange zest if using. This is your luscious pecan pie filling.
7. Using a tablespoon, scoop out a portion of cookie dough and flatten it gently in your palm. Place about a teaspoon of the pecan filling in the center, then wrap the dough around it, sealing the filling completely inside. Roll gently between your hands to form a smooth ball.
8. Place the stuffed cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the centers still look soft. The smell will fill your kitchen with that warm, nutty aroma that takes me back to Mama Lu’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon.
10. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time lets the filling set just right.

“Recipes weren’t written,” Mama Lu used to say. “They were remembered. Shared by heart, with a pinch of salt and a whole lot of soul.” This recipe is my way of remembering her, one cookie at a time.