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Brown Butter Pecan Cookies (Chewy, Nutty, and Irresistible!)

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These Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are a cookie lover's dream! They're soft and chewy on the inside, slightly crisp on the edges, and packed with the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter and toasted pecans. I love how this recipe elevates the classic butter pecan flavor with a few simple techniques, like browning the butter and chilling the dough. These cookies are perfect for any occasion, from a simple weeknight treat to a holiday cookie exchange. Get ready for a cookie that's both comforting and incredibly delicious!

Why You'll Love These Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

  • Browned Butter Magic: Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty, and almost caramel-like flavor that takes these cookies to the next level.
  • Toasted Pecans: Toasting the pecans enhances their flavor and adds a delightful crunch.
  • Soft and Chewy: The combination of brown sugar, melted butter, and a slightly underbaked center creates a perfectly soft and chewy cookie.
  • Irresistible Flavor: The combination of browned butter, pecans, and a hint of cinnamon is simply divine.
Ingredients for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies, including flour, brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

Ingredients for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Here's what you'll need to make these amazing cookies. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Buttered Pecans

  • Pecan halves, finely chopped (Nuts)
  • Light brown sugar (Sweetener)
  • Unsalted butter, melted (Fat)

Butter Pecan Cookies

  • All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
  • Cornstarch (Thickener)
  • Salt (Seasoning)
  • Ground cinnamon (Spice)
  • Baking soda (Leavening Agent)
  • Unsalted butter, melted until browned (Fat)
  • Dark brown sugar, packed (Sweetener)
  • Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
  • Vanilla extract (Flavoring)
  • Large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature (Binder)
  • Pecan Halves

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)

Variations

I love these Brown Butter Pecan Cookies as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:

  • Add Chocolate Chips: Stir in some chocolate chips (milk, dark, or white) to the dough.
  • Different Nuts: Use walnuts, almonds, or a mix of nuts instead of pecans.
  • Add Dried Fruit: Toss in some dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates.
  • Make them Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the dough.
  • Salted Caramel: Drizzle some salted caramel sauce over the cooled cookies.
Mixing the cookie dough for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies.

How to Make Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Let me show you how to make these incredibly delicious Brown Butter Pecan Cookies:

Toast the Pecans

  1. I preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. I line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  3. I combine the melted butter, finely chopped pecans, and brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl and toss to coat.
  4. I spread the pecans evenly onto the cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
  5. I set the pecans aside to cool.

Brown the Butter

  1. To make the browned butter for the cookie dough, I melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. I keep a close eye here. The top of the butter should become foamy. And you should hear tiny popping noises.
  2. The butter will develop into a rich amber color, with tiny brown bits at the bottom. And it will have a slightly nutty aroma.
  3. Once butter reaches this stage, remove and pour into a large bowl

Combine Dry Ingredients

  1. In a large bowl, I combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
  2. I whisk well to combine, then set it aside until needed.

Combine Wet Ingredients

  1. I add both sugars into the mixing bowl with the brown butter and whisk well to combine.
  2. I add in the vanilla.
  3. I beat in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until the eggs are just combined.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

  1. Using a rubber spatula, I fold in the flour, stirring until just combined.
  2. I fold in the buttered pecans.
  3. Cover bowl
  4. I cover the bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Bake

  1. I preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190°C).
  2. I line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Using a large cookie scoop, I divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls and place onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each ball of dough for spreading.
  4. I firmly press a pecan half on top of each ball of cookie dough.
  5. I bake, one tray at a time, in a preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes. If any edges spread out while baking, I use a spatula and gently press them back in as soon as I remove the cookies from the oven.
  6. I sprinkle the warm cookies with granulated sugar.

Cool and Serve

  1. Cool and Serve

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Cookies

Here are my secrets for making these cookies truly exceptional:

  • Brown the Butter: Don't skip this step! Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that's essential to these cookies.
  • Toast the Pecans: Toasting the pecans enhances their flavor and adds a nice crunch.
  • Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking and also intensifies the flavors.
  • Don't Overbake: The cookies should be slightly underbaked in the center for the best chewy texture.
  • Room Temperature Ingredients

How to Serve

These Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are delicious served:

  • Warm or at Room Temperature: They're delicious both warm and at room temperature.
  • With Milk: A classic pairing!
  • With Coffee or Tea: Perfect for an afternoon treat.
  • With Ice Cream: Make a cookie sundae with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.
A close-up of a Brown Butter Pecan Cookie, showing the melted butter and toasted pecans.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage. Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

FAQs about Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

  • Can I use regular butter instead of browned butter?
    • Yes, you can, but the browned butter adds a lot of flavor. If using regular butter, make sure it's softened.
  • Can I make these without the nuts?
    • Yes, you can omit the pecans or substitute them with another type of nut.
  • Can I make these cookies smaller?
    • Yes, you can.

Enjoy these chewy, nutty, and incredibly delicious Brown Butter Pecan Cookies! They're a perfect treat for any occasion.

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Ingredients for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies, including flour, brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

  • Author: Caoimhe Byrne
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Chill Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 11 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 31 minutes
  • Yield: 16 large cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert, Cookies
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

These Butter Pecan Cookies are rich, chewy, and packed with nutty flavor. Browned butter, toasted pecans, and a hint of cinnamon create a delicious and irresistible cookie.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Buttered Pecans:

  • 1 ¼ cups pecan halves, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Butter Pecan Cookies:

  • 2 ½ cups (313g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces, 226g) unsalted butter, browned (see instructions)
  • 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 16 pecan halves, for decoration (optional)
  • Granulated Sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions

 Make the Buttered Pecans:

  • Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the finely chopped pecans to the melted butter.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until the pecans are lightly toasted and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
  • Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Make the Cookie Dough:

  • Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda until well combined. Set aside.
  • Brown the Butter: In a small, light-colored saucepan (a light-colored pan makes it easier to see the browning) over medium heat, melt the 2 sticks (8 ounces) of butter. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns a rich amber color and has a nutty aroma. You will see small browned bits form at the bottom of the pan. This is what gives the butter its browned flavor. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Once browned, remove from heat immediately.
  • Combine Sugars and Browned Butter: Pour the browned butter (including the browned bits) into a large mixing bowl. Add the packed dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk well to combine.
  • Add Wet Ingredients: Add the vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix.
  • Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) to the wet ingredients, mixing with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Fold in Buttered Pecans: Fold in the cooled buttered pecans until evenly distributed.
  • Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

3. Bake the Cookies:

  • Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Scoop Dough: Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) or a spoon, scoop out rounded portions of the chilled cookie dough.
  • Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
  • Add Pecan Halves (Optional): If desired, gently press a pecan half into the top of each cookie dough ball.
  • Bake: Bake one tray at a time for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft.
  • Shape Cookies (Optional): If any edges of the cookies spread out too much during baking, you can use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently press them back into shape immediately after removing the cookies from the oven.
  • Sprinkle with Sugar (Optional): Sprinkle the warm cookies with granulated sugar, if desired.
  • Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Browning Butter: Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor to the cookies. Watch it carefully to prevent burning.
  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temperature eggs and egg yolk helps the ingredients emulsify properly.
  • Chilling Dough: Chilling the dough is essential for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also allows the flavors to develop.
  • Baking Time: The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven.
  • Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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