Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are some of the best cookies out there! The sweetness of the brown sugar paired with the subtle crunch from the pecans is one reason I like to have a cookie in each hand. You'll love the toasty flavor of browned butter paired with the roasted pecans.
I love making homemade chewy cookies. There's nothing quite like the feeling of baking cookies at home and having that scent of fresh cookies circulate throughout the house. Nothing will get people running for the kitchen quicker than a batch of homemade cookies sitting on the counter.
The hard part about this cookie recipe is letting the cookies cool down and rest so that they won't burn your mouth when you eat them. The easy part is actually eating the entire plate at once - consider that you're warning on how good they are!
The next time you need a sweet treat with loads of great flavor, forget about making chocolate chip cookies and make these baked cookies instead. Trust me - you're going to love them.
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!
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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.
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.
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 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 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 in the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes.
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 saucepan over medium heat. As the butter begins to melt, it will foam and bubble before releasing a nutty aroma. At this point, one should reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until the color of the melted butter deepens to a golden hue. The milk solids may separate. For this recipe, once the butter cools you will use all of it, both the liquid and any solids.
Variations
Add chocolate chunks - This butter pecan cookie recipe is delicious as it is, but don't forget that you can always add chocolate to change up the flavor!
Add toppings -Â A light drizzle of chocolate or caramel is a fun way to change the taste and look.
If you love this recipe make sure to try our Sweet Potato Oatmeal 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 for baking if I'm overly worried about this.
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 cookies are off the baking tray and cooled, you need to be sure to store them so that they stay fresh. The best way to store them is to put them into an airtight container or bag.
This will give you a simple way to split up the serving and calories so that you can enjoy the flavor later as well. Dessert nutrition is something that should be savored and enjoyed!
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📖 Recipe
Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup pecan flour
- ½ cup flour
- â…“ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…“ cup brown butter cooled
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a food processor pulse together the flours, sugars, baking soda, and salt. Add the egg, vanilla, and cooled brown butter. Mix until smooth.
- Stir in the chopped pecans
- Scoop 24 cookies, three inches apart.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely
Rickie Johnson
Really enjoyed them. Easy recipe and I add finely diced fruit sometimes.
Rickie Johnson
I like to add finely diced fruit sometimes. Easy and super good recipe.