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Butter Pecan Cookies with golden edges, toasted pecans on top, and a soft, crumbly texture.

Butter Pecan Cookies

5 from 1 vote
Rich, nutty butter pecan cookies made with brown butter–toasted pecans, crisp edges, and chewy centers. Foolproof, bakery-quality cookies made from simple ingredients and an easy five-step method.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Brown Butter
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter - 2 sticks
  • 1 ½ cups Pecans, chopped - Toasted in the brown butter
For the Cookie Dough
  • 2 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt - Reduce if using salted butter
  • 1 cup Brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 large Eggs - Room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
Optional Add-Ins
  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon - Warm flavor
  • 1 tablespoon Bourbon - For brown butter bourbon variation
  • Flaky sea salt - For topping
  • Extra pecan halves - For topping

Equipment

  • 1 Light-colored saucepan (Helps monitor browning butter)
  • 2 Mixing bowls (One medium, one large)
  • 1 Electric hand mixer (Or wooden spoon)
  • 2 Baking sheets (Lined with parchment)
  • 1 Parchment paper (Or silicone mats)
  • 1 Cookie scoop (Optional but helpful)
  • 1 Wooden spoon or spatula (For browning butter)

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped pecans. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until butter turns amber and pecans deepen in color. Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Once brown butter has cooled to room temperature, transfer to a large bowl. Add brown and granulated sugar. Beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla (and bourbon if using).
  4. Add dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until combined. Dough will be soft. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 1.5-tablespoon dough balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Top with pecan halves and flaky salt if desired. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden and centers look slightly underdone. Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a rack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie (about 35 g)Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 150IUCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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