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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Butter Pecan Cookies

    Butter Pecan Cookies

    Published: Oct 28, 2022 · Modified: Feb 5, 2023 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe
    stack of pecan cookies with one being held up over top.

    These Butter Pecan Cookies are soft, chewy, slightly crispy, and wildly delicious! They’re easy to make in under 1 hour using the signature combo of brown butter, vanilla, pecans, and brown sugary sweetness!

    Try these other wonderful and easy cookie recipes too! Cowboy Cookies, No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, or these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

    a woman's finger holding a butter pecan cookie over a stack of four cookies.

    Table of contents

    • Pecan Cookies Recipe
    • Ingredients/shopping list
    • Variations/ Substitutions
    • How to Make this Easy Cookie Recipe
    • Tips
    • FAQ’s

    Pecan Cookies Recipe

    These pecan crunch cookies are made with only 7 ingredients but you’d never know it based on the layers of complex flavors! That’s the secret to one of the best homemade cookies you’ll have this year!

    The amazing flavor trio of vanilla, butter, and crunchy toasted pecans with the addition of delicious brown sugar is what makes ice cream, cakes, and these cookies so darn good.

    We’re elevating the taste of brown butter pecan cookies by using none other than brown butter! Combined with regular melted butter, they add a deeper nutty flavor and an incredibly buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

    If you bake nothing else this season, you’re going to want to put these southern cookies with pecans high on your must-bake list and make them for a holiday cookie exchange! You don’t want to miss these!

    closeup of a butter pecan cookie on white parchment paper.

    Ingredients/shopping list

    several white bowls with ingredients for butter pecan cookies - flour, butter slices, brown sugar, vanilla extract, egg, baking powder, and chopped pecans.
    • Butter, divided: If you’ve never made brown butter before, I can’t wait to show you. Once you try it, you’ll be forever hooked on the extra buttery flavor!
    • Brown sugar: Used to sweeten the cookies and add moisture while the caramel flavoring of the light brown sugar goes great with the pecans and butter.
    • Large egg: Needed to bind all the ingredients together so they don’t fall apart.
    • Vanilla extract: A flavor enhancer and a very signature ingredient in butter pecan cookies.
    • All-purpose flour: When measured accurately, the flour gives the cookie structure but also the perfect texture. Not too heavy or dense and perfectly soft.
    • Baking soda: A leavening agent that won’t allow your cookies to fall flat!
    • Chopped pecans: If you want, you can toast them first, to give them an even more robust nutty taste.

    Variations/ Substitutions

    1. Once out of the oven, sprinkle each cookie with some coarse salt. The sweet and salty combination is addicting!
    2. If you prefer to keep things sweet, roll the balls of dough in white sugar before baking.
    3. For presentation place one whole pecan half on the tops of the cookies as it comes out of the oven. It’s cute and lets people know what they’re about to get more of.
    4. For an extra dose of warmth, add some cinnamon to your cookie dough. They’re the perfect fall cookie recipe!
    5. Stir in a ½ cup of white chocolate chips or toffee bits to the batter before scooping.

    How to Make this Easy Cookie Recipe

    This recipe will come together in a few simple steps, and even with 30 minutes in the fridge, they’re still ready in under 1 hour!

    silver pan with browning butter.

    Step 1: Place a stick of butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Allow it to melt then cook for 5 minutes, stirring or swirling the pan occasionally.

    Once it turns light brown, you’ll notice a familiar nutty aroma and brown milk solids at the bottom of the pan will appear. That’s the good stuff! We like to call this liquid gold.

    big glass mixing bowl with browned butter.

    Step 2: Add the brown butter and the bits to a large bowl and melt the rest of the butter (either in a pan or the microwave) and add it to the bowl with the brown butter.

    Then, whisk in the brown sugar or use an electric hand mixer to beat. Follow this with the egg and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

    glass mixing bowl with cookie dough.

    Step 3: In a separate smaller bowl, mix the flour and baking soda. Then add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just barely combined. There should be pockets or lumps of flour.

    glass mixing bowl with butter pecan cookie dough.

    Step 4: Gently fold in the pecans until they are evenly distributed. Do not overmix. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and in the meantime preheat the oven to 375 ° F.

    five raw cookie dough balls with chopped pecans

    Step 5: Once chilled, scoop out 1 ½ – 2 Tablespoons of dough and use your hands to roll dough into balls. Place them on a prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently press down each one so it’s no thicker than ½ an inch.

    closeup of a butter pecan cookie with a bite taken out of it.

    Step 6: Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown with crispy edges. They will be soft once out of the oven (great for adding in a nut or sprinkling with sea salt) and will continue to bake a bit on the tray. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for a 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack and then enjoy a cookie or three!

    Tips

    • Watch your butter. As easy as making brown butter is, it’s just as easy to cross that fine line between brown and burnt. Watch it closely!
    • For even baking, it’s always helpful to start with room-temperature ingredients. Especially when adding hot butter to the mix. Bring your egg to room temperature ahead of time.
    • When making brown butter use a light-colored pan. If your pan is too dark it’s harder to see how quickly your butter is turning brown.
    • The right amount of flour. As with any baking recipe, make sure to measure flour correctly! Use a scale or the spoon and level method to ensure you’re not using too much flour.
    • Overmixing the dough will cause your butter pecan cookies to be denser and not as light and chewy.

    FAQ’s

    How to store homemade butter pecan cookies?

    Keep them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. No need to keep them in the fridge, but they do need to remain covered. Otherwise, they’ll dry out.

    Can I freeze butter pecan cookies?

    They freeze well so I suggest even making two batches of butter pecan cookies and freezing one! They will keep for up to 3 months this way.

    How to toast pecans?

    This is a great option if you have a few extra minutes. It gives them added crunch, added flavor, and just a whole other level of yum to these butter pecan cookies.

    You can toast them in a skillet on the stove over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently so that they do not burn. Once they’re a darker brown and deliciously fragrant, they’re ready!

    Or use the oven at 350 degrees. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for anywhere from 7-10 minutes. Stir halfway and keep an eye on them.

    Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?


    You can make the dough balls up to 3 days ahead. If you want to get a head start but aren’t quite ready to bake them yet, this is a great option. Just pop them in the oven when you’re ready!

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!

    closeup of a butter pecan cookie held over a stack of cookies

    Butter Pecan Cookies

    These Butter Pecan Cookies are soft, chewy cookies that are slightly crispy and wildly delicious! They're easy to make in under 1 hour using the signature combo of brown butter, vanilla, pecans, and brown sugary sweetness!
    4.91 from 115 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Chlling time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 18 cookies
    Calories: 204kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 12 tablespoons butter divided (1 ½ sticks)
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup chopped pecans

    Instructions

    • Place 8 tablespoons of butter (1 stick) of butter in a small pan and heat over over medium heat until melted.
      12 tablespoons butter
    • Then cook it for approximately 5 minutes until it turns light brown, stirring occasionally.
    • Add the browned butter to a large mixing bowl. also add any bits from the bottom of the pan.
    • Melt the other 4 tablespoons (1/ 2stick)of butter (in a pan or in the microwave for a few seconds) and add it to the mixing bowl with the browned butter.
    • Add the brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer or whisk to combine.
      1 cup brown sugar
    • Then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix in until combined.
      1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • In a separate small bowl, add the flour and baking soda and toss to mix together.
      1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just barely combined and large lumps of flour are mixing in.
    • Add the pecans and gently stir them into the dough until the pecans are evenly distributed. (be careful not to over-mix or they will be more dense).
      1 cup chopped pecans
    • Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. ‘
    • Preheat the oven to 375 ° F while the dough is in the refrigerator.
    • After chilling, scoop out 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons of dough balls and place them on parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
    • Press down each ball slightly so it’s no thicker than ½”.
    • Bake for 12-14 minutes.
    • Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 10 minutes.

    Notes

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!

    Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected

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    Filed Under: Desserts, Holiday Recipes, Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melinda

      March 12, 2023 at 6:58 pm

      This cookie is getting rave reviews from my family. I did drizzle them with melted semi sweet chocolate and that gave the cookies a little zip

      Reply
    2. Anne K.

      February 11, 2023 at 5:06 pm

      4 stars
      Good flavor! I think I would like them even more if they were a little sweeter. I made with the browned butter, toasted the pecans, and sprinkled with flaked salt – the salt was really good on these.

      Reply
    3. Susie Q

      January 24, 2023 at 8:56 pm

      5 stars
      Made these today! So so good! Crispy edges and soft inside. The flavor is amazing! Our new fav!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        January 25, 2023 at 8:12 am

        That makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you enjoyed them too!

        Reply
        • Bonnie Frieswyk

          March 02, 2023 at 5:22 pm

          Where are the .amounts Of each ingredient ?? Scrolled through this quite a few times and can’t find them?

        • Eileen o’neal

          March 30, 2023 at 7:17 pm

          Mine were very dry…..

    4. Anita jones

      January 08, 2023 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe looks fabulous and easyty

      Reply
    5. Jess

      December 24, 2022 at 10:01 pm

      2 stars
      These don’t look anything like the picture. I followed exactly. Hmm maybe lost in translation but it looked like caramel before i put them in the fridge

      Reply
    6. Karen

      December 19, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      Delicious and so easy to follow

      Reply
    7. Kathy

      December 08, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      Can you make the dough and refrigerate for a few days before baking and how long can you store in refrigerator

      Reply
    8. Toni

      November 13, 2022 at 11:31 am

      after your comment on measuring flour I was excited about someone using scale for ingredients. Couldn’t find them.

      Reply
      • Sherri

        November 14, 2022 at 9:58 am

        I see what the grams for a 1 3/4 cups is on the flour package and calculate how much is needed. Mine says 1/4 cup is 37 grams. I’m not positive all are the same

        Reply
    9. Barb

      November 12, 2022 at 6:10 pm

      2 stars
      Mine came out burned, so I lowered the temp to 325 for 10 mins, much better!!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        November 13, 2022 at 8:14 am

        Oh no! I’m glad you were able to adjust that

        Reply
      • Shelly

        December 13, 2022 at 1:19 pm

        5 stars
        Just made these and I have found a new favorite cookie. The flavor was just wow. Thank you so much.

        Reply
        • Sherri

          December 13, 2022 at 2:26 pm

          I am SO happy to hear that! They are one of my favorites too!

    10. April

      November 07, 2022 at 7:55 pm

      We refrigerated the dough as directed but these spread out a lot. Guessing they should be cooled more before baking. Taste great.. will make again but chill longer.

      Reply
    11. Cathie Luckner

      November 07, 2022 at 8:30 am

      4 stars
      When I came across this recipe I knew I had to try it. My husband loves this type of cookie. The only thing I did add was 1/4 tsp of salt. Great tasting cookie, they disappeared fast.

      Reply
      • Sherri

        November 07, 2022 at 8:34 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!!

        Reply
    12. Joyce

      November 05, 2022 at 2:48 pm

      5 stars
      Just made these today. Probably baked them too long, but they are still excellent. Thanks, Sherri!

      Do you pack your brown sugar at all? I’m an American who’s been converted to weighing ingredients for consistent baking. It would help me if, the next time you made these, you popped your brown sugar on a scale (oz or kg) so I know I”m making mine exactly like yours.

      The dough felt and looked very much like raw blond brownies. I may experiment with spreading them in a pan. Regardless, toasting the pecans and using browned butter are game changers.

      Reply
    13. Tennknox

      November 04, 2022 at 11:16 am

      2 stars
      Recipe sounds good, but where is the measurement of ingredients? How much floor, brown sugar, …. ?

      Reply
      • Joyce

        November 05, 2022 at 2:49 pm

        At the bottom of the page. Click on Jump To Recipe button at the top of the article.

        Reply

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    Hi there! I’m Sherri I love creating a variety of easy recipes that anyone can make and enjoy! From healthy to comforting, I hope you find something that inspires you!.

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