The Ultimate Butter Pecan Cookie Recipe: Rich, Buttery, and Irresistible
Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe
Thick, chewy, and insanely delicious Butter Pecan Cookies! Made with brown butter, brown sugar, and loads of toasted buttered pecans, these cookies are packed with flavor and are perfect for the holiday season! I promise, once you try them, you’ll be hooked.
Butter Pecan Cookies
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have caught me making these cookies on my Instastories last week. I posted a few pictures of the cookies fresh out of the oven, and within just a few hours, I had over 100 requests for the recipe! So, even though I wasn’t planning to share these until Fall, I decided to shuffle things around and bring you the recipe today. Because, honestly, I love giving you exactly what you want! And after reading all the messages in my inbox, it’s clear you definitely want these Butter Pecan Cookies!
So, grab your baking sheet and let’s get started!
Originally, I was planning to share this recipe in October, around the release of my first book! I’ll be sharing five recipes from the book as a sneak peek, and you’ll find this Butter Pecan Cookie recipe in there, along with tons more sweet treats. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this project, and I can’t wait to share more about it with you soon.
But for now, let’s focus on these cookies—because they are incredible! Each bite is a perfect balance of chewy, crunchy, and so flavorful. The secret to that flavor? Brown butter, a pinch of cinnamon, and lots of toasted pecans—pecans that are toasted in BUTTER, of course.
These cookies come out warm and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, but once they cool down (after about an hour), they firm up just enough to become chewy in the middle with crunchy edges. If you’re a Butter Pecan fanatic like me, you have to try making ice cream sandwiches with these cookies using some butter pecan ice cream. It’s out-of-this-world good!
Ingredients
- Pecans (Make sure to taste your pecans to ensure they’re fresh. They should be golden in color when you buy them. For maximum freshness, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 9 months or in the freezer for up to 2 years.)
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Cornstarch
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
You’ll also need:
- A large bowl
- An electric mixer
- A baking sheet lined with parchment paper
How to Brown Butter
If you’ve never browned butter before, don’t worry—it’s super simple! You just need a saucepan, some butter, and a little patience.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Once melted, continue cooking the butter while swirling the pan occasionally. Watch closely as it begins to turn a golden brown color. The smell will be amazing as it browns!
- As soon as it reaches that beautiful golden brown color, remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl, scraping up all the little golden bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Let it cool before using it in the cookie dough.
That’s it! Browning butter is easy, and the flavor it imparts to these cookies is totally worth the effort.
Cookie Assembly
There are 3 key steps to assembling this cookie dough:
- Make the buttered pecans
- Brown the butter
- Make the cookie dough
And yes, I recommend doing them in that order! Luckily, each step is quick and easy, so it won’t take you long to get everything prepped.
Since the butter is in a liquid state when you add it to the dough, this recipe does require a little chill time. Don’t worry, it’s only about 4 hours. During that time, the dough firms up as it comes to room temperature, which helps your cookies hold their shape while baking.
You can chill the dough for a little longer, or even scoop and freeze the dough balls for later. Just keep in mind that if you refrigerate the dough for more than 4 hours, you’ll need to let it soften slightly before scooping.
Baking
I love making these cookies BIG, so I use a large cookie scoop (about 1/4 cup) to scoop the dough. But feel free to make them smaller if you prefer. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly—smaller cookies will bake faster, and bigger ones might need an extra minute or two.
For a little extra flair, you can press a whole pecan on top of each dough ball before baking, or sprinkle them with some granulated sugar right as they come out of the oven for a sparkly finish!
Unlike most cookie recipes that call for baking at 350°F, these cookies are best baked at 375°F. The higher temperature creates a crispy outside with a chewy inside—perfection!
One last tip: don’t overbake them! They only need 10 to 12 minutes in the oven. They’ll firm up quite a bit as they cool, and if you overbake them, they’ll turn out dry and crumbly (which is the opposite of what we want). Trust me on this one!
A Cookie That Everyone Will Love
I had my family over for dinner last night, and these Butter Pecan Cookies were an absolute hit! Even my brother, who normally refuses anything that doesn’t involve chocolate, ate three of these chewy pecan cookies for dessert. And yes, he took a few home too!
I really hope you give these cookies a try. If you do, I’d love to hear how they turn out! Drop a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram with #bakerbynature—seeing your kitchen creations really makes my day!
Happy baking!
Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
For the Buttered Pecans:
- 1 and 1/4 cup pecan halves finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Butter Pecan Cookies:
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 sticks 8 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 16 pecan halves for decoration, optional
Instructions
For the Buttered Pecans:
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside until needed.
For the Butter Pecan Cookies:
- In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; whisk well to combine then set aside until needed.
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook the butter. swirling the pan occasionally. Keep a close eye here. The top of the butter should become foamy. And you should hear tiny popping noises. The butter will develop into a rich amber color, with tiny brown bits at the bottom. And it will have a slightly nutty aroma. Once the butter reaches this stage, remove from heat immediately and pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add both sugars into the mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Add in vanilla. Beat in eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until eggs are just combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, stirring until just combined. Fold in the buttered pecans.
- Cover bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours.
To Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a large cookie scoop, divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls and place onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each ball of dough for spreading.
- Firmly press a pecan half on top of each ball of cookie dough.
- Bake, one tray at a time, in a preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes. If any edges spread out while baking, use a spatula and gently press them back in as soon as you remove the cookies from the oven.
- Sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar.
- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Cookies will stay “fresh” for 3 days when stored in an airtight container.
- Cookie dough will keep in the fridge for 48 hours. Alternatively, you may scoop and freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. You will need to add an extra minute or two to the bake time if baking frozen dough.
- You can make smaller sized cookies, but you’ll need to decrease the bake time by a minute or two.
- For decoration, you may sprinkle granulated sugar on the cookies right when they come out of the oven.
Hi, I’m Emily Hart, a 32-year-old chef with a lifelong passion for cooking that goes far beyond just a career—it’s the heart and soul of who I am. From the moment I was old enough to hold a spoon, I’ve been enchanted by the way food brings people together, how flavors can tell stories, and how a simple dish can evoke powerful emotions. The kitchen is my sanctuary, where the sizzle of pans and the aroma of fresh ingredients inspire me to create something special every day.
For me, cooking isn’t just about following recipes; it’s about experimenting, pushing boundaries, and blending culinary traditions to create something new and exciting. Whether I’m preparing an elegant five-course dinner or a comforting bowl of homemade soup, I pour my heart into every detail. I believe that food has the power to connect us all—whether through shared meals or teaching others how to find joy in cooking.
Over the years, I’ve honed my skills not only in crafting delicious meals but also in understanding what makes people feel at home when they sit down at the table. I love sharing my passion with others through cooking classes, collaborations with fellow food enthusiasts, and simply bringing people together one plate at a time. Cooking is my art form, and every dish is an opportunity to share a piece of myself with the world.
