These Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies are a delicious upgrade on a classic favorite, with rich brown butter, toasted crunchy pecans, and gooey chocolate chips. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion!
If you’re a fan of chocolate chip cookies, these Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies will take your cookie game to a whole new level. The rich, nutty flavor of browned butter adds depth, while toasted pecans bring a satisfying crunch to every bite.
Combined with gooey chocolate chips, these cookies are the ultimate treat for anyone who loves a sweet and savory combo. Perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy nights in, these cookies will have everyone coming back for more!
For more cookie recipes try my brown butter chocolate chunk cookies , Nutella stuffed peanut butter cookies or Peanut Butter Nutella sandwich cookies
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Why you will love these Brown butter Pecan Chocolate Chip cookies
- Rich, nutty brown butter flavor – Brown butter elevates the classic chocolate chip cookie with a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- Perfect crunch – The toasted pecans add a delightful crunch that pairs beautifully with the soft, chewy texture of the cookies.
- Easy to make – Even though it sounds fancy, this easy recipe is simple enough for both beginner and experienced bakers.
- Versatile treat – Whether for a holiday cookie exchange, a weekend baking project, or a special gift, these cookies are a crowd-pleaser.
- Elevates a classic – If you love chocolate chip cookies, this is the perfect way to give them a gourmet twist!
Ingredient Notes
- All Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides the base for the cookie dough.
- Unsalted butter – I prefer to use high butterfat European style butter.You can use salted butter instead however be sure to reduce the salt to in the dry ingredients.
- Dark Brown sugar – I used dark brown sugar but you can use light brown sugar as well.
- White Sugar – I used granulated white sugar.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for even mixing.
- Pecans: Toast the pecans before adding them to the dough to bring out their flavor and crunch. You can also substitute with walnuts or almonds.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work best, but you can also mix in milk chocolate or even chocolate chunks for extra gooeyness.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent helps the cookies rise and develop a soft, chewy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor profile of the cookies.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these chocolate chip pecan cookie recipe. You can use a stand mixer or a hand held electric mixer.Pre-heat the oven to 175C (350 F) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Step 1. Brown the Butter: Heat the cubed butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat. The butter will melt and bubble vigorously which is normal. After about 8 minutes, the top will be completely covered in foam. Stir the butter continuously at this point so you can see when the butter has browned. After another 2 minutes, the bottom of the butter should be speckled with amber-brown bits. Take the pan off the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl to cool completely.
Step 2. Whisk the dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
Step 3. Beat the wet ingredients: In a bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat browned butter and sugars until pale for 2-3 mins. Add the egg and egg yolks one at a time beating well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Step 4. Mix the wet into dry. To the butter mixture stir in the flour mixture, chocolate chips and chopped pecans until just combined.
Step 5. Refrigerate the dough. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Step 6. Scoop out the cookie dough. Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible. Arrange the balls evenly amongst baking sheets and add a few extra chocolate chips and chopped pecans on top of each cookie.
Step7.Bake the cookies.bake for 12-13 mins until golden. Optionally sprinkle the top of the cookies with a little sea salt.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 mins. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a cookie scoop: Use a cookie or ice cream scoop for uniform cookies with thick, chewy and gooey centers. The cookie dough balls must be three tablespoons.
- Chill the dough: For the best flavor and texture, chill your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape and develop a deeper flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Use quality chocolate: The better the chocolate, the better your cookies will taste! Try using chopped chocolate bars instead of chips for a more decadent experience.
- Toast the pecans: Simply bake the pecans at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant. This enhances their flavor and gives a great crunchy texture to the cookies.
- Don’t over bake: The cookies should look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. They will continue to bake on the hot baking sheet and set as they cool.
FAQ’s
This has to do with the flour. The flour needs to be spooned and leveled. If you scoop using the measuring cup directly into the flour, it will be compacted. Compacted flour means no spread with your cookies.
Yes! I know it sounds hard to wait on baking these cookies but its essential to chill these. Chilling would allow the butter to solidify and the flour to rehydrate. If you bake these immediately the cookies will spread way too much.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet?
Yes, you can! Milk chocolate will make the cookies a bit sweeter. You can also mix different types of chocolate for more variety in each bite.
What can I substitute for pecans?
If you’re not a fan of pecans, you can swap them for walnuts, almonds, or even omit the nuts altogether. The cookies will still taste amazing.
Can I use regular butter instead of browned butter?
Yes, but you’ll miss out on the rich, nutty aroma and flavor that browned butter brings to these cookies. If you’re short on time, regular melted butter works too, but the flavor will be a bit more traditional.
Storage
• Room temperature: Store the chocolate chip and pecan cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Refrigerator: While not necessary, you can store the cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Just bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freezing
• Freeze the dough: After forming the cookie dough balls, place them on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours. Once solid, transfer the dough balls to a resealable ziplock bag. You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply bake from frozen, adding an extra 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
• Freeze baked cookies: Let the cookies cool completely before freezing. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to a resealable freezer bag or airtight container. They will keep well for up to 3 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature, or pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for that fresh-out-of-the-oven warmth.
More cookie recipes to try
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Recipe 📖
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- 2 cookie sheets
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅛ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom sauce pan heat your butter carefully until it is browned stirring continuously. Once browned take it off the heat and let it come to room temperature for an hour or so.
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat the browned butter and both sugars until pale for 2-3 mins.Add the egg and the vanilla extract and beat well.
- To the butter mixture stir in the flour mixture, chopped pecans and chocolate chips until just combined.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour .When ready to bake, Pre-heat the oven to 175C (350 F). Line two large baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible. Arrange the balls evenly amongst baking trays and bake for 12-13 mins until golden.
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaky sea salt.Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 mins.Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks.Enjoy!
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