These butter pecan cookies are crisp, chewy, and packed with flavor! They’re just the thing you need when you’re craving a treat in the fall or winter. They’re filled with toasted butter pecans and plenty of dark chocolate chunks. You can’t go wrong with a cookie like this!
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Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: You’ll need 210g or about 1 ¾ cup flour (spooned and leveled).
- Ground Cinnamon: Just ¼ tsp of cinnamon is enough to add an extra pop of flavor to these cookies!
- Baking Soda + Salt: You’ll need 1 tsp of baking soda and ½ tsp of salt.
- Unsalted Butter: Since we’re browning the butter, a few extra tbsp than normal will be needed. This is due to the loss of water during the browning process. As a result, you should end up with 170g or ¾ cup of browned butter. You’ll also need 14 g (1 tbsp) of butter for the pecans.
- Granulated + Dark Brown Sugar: We like to use a combination of both sugars in this recipe. The pecans are also toasted with a few tsp of brown sugar.
- Egg: You’ll need 1 large room temperature egg.
- Vanilla Extract: Be sure to use a tbsp and not a tsp.
- Dark Chocolate: We love using dark chocolate in cookies, especially these ones. The depth of the dark chocolate goes well with the other flavors in this recipe.
- Pecans: You’ll need 90g or ¾ cup of roughly chopped, raw pecans.
How to Brown Butter
If you’ve never made brown butter before, you won’t want to go back after making it! It’s what makes these butter pecan cookies top notch! One important tip for browning butter is to keep a close eye on it. Once it starts to change color it can brown very quickly. In other words, don’t leave the stove as it could easily burn. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make it:
- Cut the butter into cubes as this helps it evenly melt. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, occasionally swirling the pan.
- Once melted, it will start to crackle and foam up. The foam can make it hard to see the butter so stir constantly. If needed, lower the heat. Be sure to unstick the milk solids from the bottom of the pan to prevent them from burning.
- As you’re stirring, you’ll start to notice a change in color. Keep a close eye on it at this stage as it can quickly go from golden brown to deep amber.
- Continue stirring until it turns deep amber in color. This could take up to 10 minutes. You’ll also notice a nutty scent coming from the butter. Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a heat proof bowl, scraping out all the brown bits at the bottom (these are where all that brown butter flavor is at!).
- That’s it! You’ve just made brown butter! Just remember to bring it to room temperature before using so it doesn’t cook or melt the other ingredients.
How to Make Butter Pecans
Now for the star of the these butter pecan cookies. The pecans! To make them, toss them in a pan of melted butter and sprinkle them with brown sugar. Stir them around for a few minutes until they get nice and toasty. Then set them aside to cool. As they cool, the sweetness of the brown sugar will seep into the pecans, creating a tasty blend of sweet and savory.
FAQ
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze them for a few minutes until frozen. Once frozen, place them in an air tight container or freezer bag. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month. Once ready to bake, let them sit at room temperature for half an hour. They may take a few extra minutes in the oven.
Can I chill the dough overnight?
Yes! In fact, chilling the dough overnight is highly recommended. This is because the flavors have more time to get to know each other. Just be sure to scoop your dough before chilling.
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Tips for Baking the Best Butter Pecan Cookies
- Correctly measure your flour. If you measure in grams, this shouldn’t be an issue for you. However, when using cups, it can be easy to over pack your flour. A simple way to prevent this is by fluffing up your flour with a spoon and scooping it into the cup. Then, level it off with a straight edge to get rid of any excess flour.
- Do NOT use old pecans. This might seem like a weird tip, but using old pecans can give the cookies an off taste. So if you’ve got pecans that have been sitting in the back of the pantry for a while, it’s best to replace them with a fresh bag.
- For the perfect cookie shape, use a large, round cookie cutter. Swirl the cookie cutter around each cookie to form a perfect circle. Do this right after taking the cookies out of the oven while they’re still soft.
- Use dark chocolate in this recipe for the best flavor. The richness of dark chocolate compliments the flavors of the brown sugar and brown butter. It also makes for a cookie that has just the right amount of sweetness.
- Add a bit more chopped chocolate and pecans on top. This makes your cookies look picture perfect. Plus it adds a bit more texture. Just be sure to add them to the cookies before baking.
📖 Recipe
Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
These butter pecan cookies are crisp, chewy, and packed with flavor. They're just the thing you need when you're craving a treat in the fall and winter. The combination of brown butter, toasted pecans, and dark chocolate is what makes these ultra delicious!
Ingredients
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter divided
- 100 g (½ cup) + 2 tsp dark brown sugar packed, divided
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 210 g (1 ¾ cup) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 90 g (¾ cup) chopped pecans
- 120 g (4 oz) 70% dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
For the Brown Butter:
- In a small saucepan, melt 212 g (15 tbsp) of butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally.
- Once melted, it will start to crackle and foam up. If you need to, lower heat so it doesn’t foam up too much. Stir frequently until it reaches a deep amber color. This could take up to 10 minutes depending on the material of your saucepan.
- Immediately transfer to a large heat proof bowl. Be sure to scrape out the brown bits. That’s where all the flavor is! Set aside to cool.
For the Butter Pecans:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 14 g (1 tbsp) of butter over medium heat. Add the pecans and 2 tsp of brown sugar.
- Toss the pecans for 3-4 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
For the Cookies:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the granulated sugar and 100 g (½ cup) of brown sugar to the bowl of brown butter. Whisk together until fully combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- With a flexible spatula, fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Then fold in the chopped chocolate and pecans.
- Using a 3 tbsp cookie scoop, place each cookie next to each other on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add extra chocolate and pecans on top if desired.
- Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. A few minutes before removing them from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once chilled, place the cookies 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underdone.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make sure your brown butter has fully cooled before adding the other ingredients. If it’s too hot, it may melt the chocolate and/or spread too much in the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g
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