These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are a perfect balance of sweetness and comfort. They’re slightly crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.
Chocolate chip pecan cookies are a delicious twist on a classic, with plenty of chocolate chips and chopped pecans packed into every bite. The pecans add a rich, nutty flavor and a little crunch that pairs perfectly with the sweet chocolate and buttery cookie dough.
These cookies are easy enough to make whenever a cookie craving hits, but they also make a great addition to cookie trays, bake sales, and gatherings. Enjoy them slightly warm from the oven when the chocolate is still melty, or tuck a few away for later with a cold glass of milk.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping if desired
- 1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped, plus more for topping if desired
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How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
1. First, brown the butter. Place butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until golden specks form, and the butter gives off a nutty smell.
2. Pour the butter into a large mixing bowl (scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the saucepan) and set aside to cool. To help it cool faster, you can refrigerate the brown butter for 15-20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Once the brown butter has cooled, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl. Beat on high speed for 1 minute.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans until evenly mixed into the dough.
6. Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place your cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. If desired, top the dough with additional chocolate chips and pecans.
7. Bake for 9-10 minutes until the edges are golden and the middle is still soft and slightly puffed. Remove from oven.
8. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips plus more for topping if desired
- 1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped plus more for topping if desired
Instructions
- First, brown the butter. Place butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until golden specks form, and the butter gives off a nutty smell.
- Pour the butter into a large mixing bowl (scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the saucepan) and set aside to cool. To help it cool faster, you can refrigerate the brown butter for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Once the brown butter has cooled, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl. Beat on high speed for 1 minute.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans until evenly mixed into the dough.
- Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place your cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. If desired, top the dough with additional chocolate chips and pecans.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes until the edges are golden and the middle is still soft and slightly puffed. Remove from oven.
- Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Toast the pecans: For a deeper, nuttier flavor, toast the pecans before adding them to the cookie dough. Let them cool completely before mixing them in.
- Chill if needed: If the dough feels especially soft or sticky, refrigerate it for 20–30 minutes before baking to help prevent excessive spreading.
- Watch the bake time: Remove the cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips give the cookies a nice balance of sweetness, but dark or milk chocolate chips work too.
- Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days.
- Freezing: The baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can also freeze portioned cookie dough and bake it later, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time if baking from frozen.
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