Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe
Butter pecan cookies are simple cookies that deliver lots of flavor. With crunchy pecans and dark brown sugar, this cookie will melt in your mouth. A sprinkling of flaky sea salt is the extra touch that takes these cookies over the top.
These butter pecan cookies have become my new favorite cookie. When I first tested these cookies, I felt there was something missing. I thought I needed some chocolate chips but didn’t want this to be that type of cookie. The problem was I hadn’t added enough pecans and didn’t toast them. Once I doubled the amount of pecans and toasted them, I nearly devoured the entire batch of cookies. So delicious! Oh, and the family loves them, too.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
These easy butter pecan cookies melt in your mouth. Soft and chewy with some crunch. Buttery and rich. A satisfying cookie. They really are the best butter pecan cookies.
Looking for more cookie recipes ? You’ve got to try these small batch chocolate chip cookies and these old fashioned peanut butter cookies.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need For This Recipe
How To Toast Pecans
Toasting the chopped pecans will bring out the nuttiness and make them extra crunchy. This one step makes a huge difference in the final taste. I highly recommend not skipping this part of the recipe.
Chop the pecans on a cutting board. Do not use a food processor. This way you can control how fine you would like the pecans to be. I personally like to coarsely chop them so I can get a chunk of nut in each bite.
Place the chopped pecans onto a cookie sheet and bake for ten minutes at 350℉. You might want to stir them halfway through cooking. This will also let you check on them to make sure they don’t burn.
When finished cooking, remove them from the oven and let cool to room temperature. You don’t want to add hot nuts to your cookie dough. This would warm the dough causing the cookies to spread too quickly.
Tips For Success
Flaked sea salt – sprinkle each cookie with flaked sea salt as soon as they are removed from the oven. This brings out the flavors in the cookie. It also balances out the sweetness of the brown sugar.
Avoid over baking – these cookies are soft and chewy. Only bake till the cookies are golden brown around the edges. The cookies should be left on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes to set before transferring to a cooling rack.
How To Make This Recipe For Butter Pecan Cookies
These cookies are easy to put together especially if you have a stand mixer. Or a hand mixer will do. These appliances make the job of creaming the butter and sugar together with less work for you.
Prep work – Preheat your oven to 350℉. Then chop and toast the pecans so they are cooled when you are ready to add them to your cookie dough.
For the complete instructions, see the recipe card below.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the flour mixture till just combined.
- Gently stir in the chopped pecans.
- Using a 1 ½ tablespoons cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough balls onto ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 350℉ for 11 – 12 minutes.
How To Store
Store the butter pecan cookies in an airtight container for up to three days. Homemade cookies will go stale faster than store bought.
For longer storage – once the cookies are completely cooled, place them in a single layer in a resealable freezer bag. Don’t forget to write the date on the bag. Then place in the freezer for up to three months.
Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature )
- 1¼ cups dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 egg (room temperature )
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans (chopped and toasted)
- flaked sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Toast the pecans as directed in the notes below.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and dark brown sugar till fluffy. Scraping down the bowl as needed.½ cup unsalted butter, 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
- Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add in the flour mixture. Stirring till just combined. Do not over mix.
- Stir in the chopped pecans by hand.1 cup pecans
- Drop by heaping tablespoon (or use a 1 ½ tablespoons cookie scoop) onto ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake at 350℉ for 11- 12 minutes. Just till the edges are golden brown. Don't over bake. If desired, sprinkle flaked sea salt over the hot cookies once they are removed from the oven.Let cool on the baking sheet a minute or two to set then transfer to a cooling rack.
Storing
- Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
This recipe sounds delicious! I really appreciate the way it is written, very easy to follow. I just found your site and it’s full of great information & it is well written. I’m on vacation, but will be making the cookies 🍪 when I get home. Thanks a lot, have a wonderful day 😊.