Line a large baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a very dry blender, add the flour, pecans, salt, cinnamon, anise seed and lavender. Blend until the flour mixture looks relatively smooth. It’s ok if you see a few pecan pieces throughout.

Mixing the ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a wooden spoon), beat together the butter, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy. You will need to use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides down a couple of times until the mixture comes together. Add the flour mixture and mix until the dough just comes together. If it looks a little crumbly, it’s ok. It will come together more as it rests. Cover and let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Making the thumbprints

Preheat the oven to 350 f.  After the dough has rested, use your hands to roll pieces of dough into (evenly sized) balls and place them around 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Make an indentation around halfway down the dough with your thumb or the back of a wooden spoon. Fill each “cave” with jam.

Baking the cookies

Bake for 15-25 minutes, until the bottom edges are turning golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes. Use a spatula to transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Let cool for at least five minutes before taking a bite as the jam will be piping hot.