Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

This Brown Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe makes some of the best cookies out there! The sweetness of the brown sugar paired with the subtle crunch from the pecans is irresistible. You'll love the toasty flavor of browned butter paired with the roasted pecans.

I love making homemade cookies. There's nothing quite like the scent of fresh cookies circulating throughout the house.

The next time you need a sweet bite with loads of great flavor, forget about making chocolate chip cookies and make these instead. Trust me - you're going to love this chewy cookie recipe. It is one of my favorite pecan recipes.

These 3 Ingredient Brown Sugar Cookies are pretty spot on, too! Maybe try both of these easy desserts and my Coffee Cake Cookies Recipe, and tell me what you think!

Ingredients

• Sugar - Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the recipe.
• Brown sugar - Light brown sugar to add a rich sweetness and also a darker coloring to the cookies when they are baking. You can use dark brown sugar if you prefer.
• All-purpose flour - Mild flavored and works well in conjunction with the pecan flour.
• Pecan flour - This flour adds a warmth of flavor and also a light hint of pecan.
• Baking soda - Baking soda helps the cookies rise a bit. Which improves the texture of the cookies.
• Salt - Just a little bit is needed.
• Brown butter - Brown butter is butter that has been cooked to a deep brown color. It adds fat content to the cookies to help with their chew. You can use salted or unsalted butter. But if you use unsalted you will need to add a pinch of salt.
• Egg - A good binding agent for the recipe. I buy large eggs.
• Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract is my extract of choice.
• Chopped Pecans - You can chop by hand or use a blender/food processor to help. (Or buy them already chopped at the store!)

How to Make Brown Butter

In order to make brown butter, or beurre noisette, one must first begin by melting unsalted butter or salted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the butter begins to melt, it will foam and bubble before releasing a nutty aroma. At this point, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a whisk until the color of the melted butter deepens to a golden hue. The milk solids may separate. That is ok. Let the brown butter cool to room temperature. For this recipe, once the butter cools, you will use all of it, both the liquid and any solids.

How to Make Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add parchment paper to two cookie sheets.

Step Two: In a food processor or large mixing bowl, add the flours, sugars, salt, and baking soda. (Basically, add the dry ingredients together).

Step Three: Add the vanilla, egg, and cooled brown butter. Mix well. You can mix in a food processor, by hand, or use a stand mixer.

Step Four: Stir or fold in the chopped pecans.

Step Five: Use a cookie scoop and put 24 cookie dough balls on the parchment paper. Leave about three inches between each cookie.

Step Six: Place the tray in the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes. Let the warm cookies cool on a wire rack.

Variations

• Nuts - Swap out the pecans for walnuts, almonds, or cashews.
• Chocolate - This recipe is delicious as it is, but don't forget that you can always add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to change up the flavor! A light drizzle of melted chocolate is a fun way to make these look fancy.
• Caramel - Stir in some caramel bits for a pop of flavor. I like to sprinkle them with coarse salt for this option.
• Cinnamon - Adding cinnamon or pumpkin spice will give a warm fall flavor.

If you love this recipe, make sure to try our Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies or these Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies next.

Common Questions

Do I need to chill the cookie dough prior to baking it?

The instructions for these cookies are simple. You don't have to chill the dough before baking them. If you do make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge, all you need to do is have the dough in a large bowl and cover it until you are ready to bake them.

Once it's time to bake, remove the bowl to let the dough get closer to room temperature before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

What is the best way to keep cookies from sticking to the baking pan?

It can feel like a hard balance trying to get golden brown cookies without overcooking them and having them stick to the baking sheet. I like to use a silicone mat or parchment paper for bakingto avoid sticking.

How do I cool cookies completely?

It's important to cool cookies on a wire rack to allow for those crisp edges. If you leave cookies on the baking sheet, there is a chance that the temperature will continue to cook them or melt them further, which is something that you don't want to do.

What is the best way to store cookies to keep them fresh?

Once the baked cookies are cooled, you need to store them in an airtight container or bag. They can be left on the counter for 2-3 days, in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

📖 Recipe

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Originally Published January 15, 2023. Revised and Republished February 9, 2026.