Butter Pecan Cookies

Rich flavors of brown butter and nutty pecans make these soft, chewy cookies a favorite. They are a great option for holiday cookie exchanges and a classic choice the rest of the year too.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Chilling time + post baking cooling time 50

Total Time 1 12

Servings

Calories 204kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, cut into tablespoon portions
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
Flaky sea salt to top (optional)

Instructions

Place 8 tablespoons of butter in a small light colored saucepan or skillet set over medium heat. The light color makes it easier to see when the butter has browned so it does not burn. Heat butter until it melts, stirring to move the butter around.
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
Continue to stir and heat the butter until it is golden brown, foaming and begins to smell nutty. It should take about 5 minutes.
See the Pro Tips in the NOTES section below for more details.
Add the brown butter to a large mixing bowl (along with any solid particles in the bottom of the pan).
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter (do not brown it) and add it to the bowl with the browned melted butter. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the light brown sugar to the mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.
1 cup light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until no large lumps remain. The dough is thick.
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
Fold in the pecans; mix just the pecans are evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
1 cup chopped pecans
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer the cookie dough to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Once the dough is completely chilled, scoop out 2 tablespoon sized cookie dough balls onto prepared baking sheets with 2 inches in between (the cookies will spread). We recommend using a 2 tablespoon medium cookie scoop for this.
Press down each ball of cookie dough with the flat bottomed glass so it is no thicker than ½-inch.
Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are just set (do not over bake).
Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt (if using) on the tops of the cookies while the cookies are still warm.
Flaky sea salt
Allow the baked cookies to fully cool on the cookie sheet and then transfer them to an airtight container.

Notes

Browning butter. This is easy but needs to be monitored so it doesn't change from browned butter to burnt butter. This can happen quickly. Use a light colored pan or skillet. Stir constantly. As soon as the foaming subsides and you can see dark particles in the bottom of the pan, remove it from the heat and pour into the mixing bowl.

How to Store

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. Baked cooled cookies can also be frozen for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before eating for best flavor.

Nutrition