Best Pecan Pie Bites

FOR THE COOKIE:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg (yolk only)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Spray 36 mini muffin pan cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Combine the brown sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla in a bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until creamy. Add the flour, baking powder and salt; beat on low speed until well mixed.

Shape the dough into 3/4-inch balls; place each into a prepared mini muffin pan cup, pressing the dough onto bottom and up one-third of the sides of each cup, creating a shallow cup.

Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl; spoon 1 teaspoon filling into each cookie.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan on a cooling rack. Remove the cookies from the pans by running a small knife around the edge of each cookie. Place onto the cooling rack; cool completely.