These Butter Pecan Cookies are rich, chewy, and full of flavor. Pecans are caramelized with butter and brown sugar, then the toasted pecans are folded into a brown butter cookie dough that's soft in the center with lightly crisp edges. Each bite has a nutty, buttery sweetness that makes these cookies unforgettable.
Buttered pecans have always been a weakness of mine, I think it stems from my dad loving butter pecan ice cream when I was a kid. And since I recently moved to Texas, I have fallen in love with Andy's Frozen Custard, and they toast their pecans in butter. GAHHH it's so good. Toasted pecans in cookies have always been a favorite too, but for this recipe, I really leaned into the buttered toasted flavor profile by using brown butter, all brown sugar, and toasting the pecans in butter and sugar. The result is an incredibly moist, chewy, thick cookie that is downright delicious. Try them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, you won't regret it!
Want more crave worthy desserts with pecans? Try this family favorite gooey sticky pecan rolls or pecan pie cheesecake.
Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor
- Pecans with Butter & Brown Sugar: Toasting them first enhances nuttiness and adds a caramel-like crunch.
- Brown Butter + Extra Butter: Creates depth of flavor and ensures a rich, tender cookie.
- Egg + Egg Yolk: Gives structure and keeps the cookies soft.
- Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Cornstarch: Work together for structure, lift, and soft texture.
For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.
Toast, Mix, Bake & Devour
Check out this post on my Cookie Baking Tips
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Butter Pecan Cookies
These Butter Pecan Cookies are rich, chewy, and full of flavor. Pecans are caramelized with butter and brown sugar, then the toasted pecans are folded into a brown butter cookie dough that's soft in the center with lightly crisp edges. Each bite has a nutty, buttery sweetness that makes these cookies unforgettable.
- Total Time: 2 Hours 31 Minutes
- Yield: 24 Cookies 1x
Ingredients
Caramelized Pecans
- 109 grams (1 Cup) Pecans, roughly chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Salted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
Cookies
- 250 grams (2 Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
- ¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Cornstarch/ Cornflour
- 6oz (¾ Cup) Salted Butter (4oz browned and 2oz cut into chunks)
- 200 grams (1 Cup) Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg +1 Large Egg Yolk, at room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Caramelized Pecans
- In a small- medium skillet, cook the butter, brown sugar, and pecans for a few minutes to toast them. Stir frequently and let the pecans toast as the butter and sugar slightly caramelize the pecans. Depending on the size of your skillet, it should take 5-8 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the cookie dough.
Cookies
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Take 4oz/ ½ cup of the butter and brown it in a clean skillet. The butter should cook over low-medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly until the milk solids begin to brown and caramelize. You can read this detailed post on how to brown butter. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, combine brown butter and the remaining 2oz (¼ Cup) chopped butter. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the heat of the brown butter melts the chopped butter. Add sugar and mix on medium for around 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly combined.
- Add egg, additional egg yolk, and vanilla, mix until fully combined for about 45 seconds, let rest for one minute, then mix for 2 minutes. The mixture should lighten in color quite a bit. Gently fold in the dry ingredients, then stir in the buttered pecans.
- Scoop 1.5 tbsp-sized cookies with a medium cookie scoop. Place cookie dough balls on a wax-lined tray that can fit in the refrigerator, or I like to use my favorite plastic containers. Let the dough balls chill for two hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and, if using, line your baking sheet with a Silpat liner. Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- To freeze unbaked cookie dough balls: Scoop the cookie dough and place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan or large plate to freeze, once they are frozen (about an hour or two) place the dough balls into an air-tight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to bake the cookies, follow normal instructions but add a minute or two onto the bake time. The cookies may not spread as much from frozen, in that case when the cookies come out of the oven I bang the tray on the counter to encourage the cookies to spread.
- To freeze baked cookies: Once you've baked the cookies allow them to cool completely then place in an air-tight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat place cookies on the counter to thaw for an hour.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 11 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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