The Best Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies Recipe
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Indulge in the ultimate cookie experience with these incredible Large Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies! Imagine thick, gloriously gooey cookies with perfectly crispy, golden-brown edges and a delightfully soft, chewy center. What makes them truly stand out is the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter, perfectly complemented by an abundance of crunchy pecans and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chips. These aren’t just any cookies; they’re a celebration of texture and deep, complex flavors, surprisingly easy to achieve. You won’t even need a fancy stand mixer – just a hand whisk, a spatula, and a bowl are all it takes to whip up a batch of these extraordinary treats. Get ready to elevate your classic chocolate chip cookie game!
These brown butter chocolate chip pecan cookies are destined to become your new favorite. They’re quick to prepare, incredibly satisfying, and offer a sophisticated twist on a beloved classic. The secret lies in the browned butter, which infuses the dough with an unparalleled depth of flavor, adding a caramel-like, toasty aroma that transforms the entire cookie. Coupled with generous amounts of chopped pecans, these cookies deliver a delightful textural contrast that will keep you reaching for more. Each bite promises a harmonious blend of crispiness at the edges and a luxuriously soft, gooey interior, making for a truly memorable dessert.
Loaded with both crunchy pecans and luscious chocolate chips, this recipe ensures every cookie is bursting with flavor. They are remarkably straightforward to make, producing a result so delicious that you’ll want to bake them repeatedly. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, this recipe is designed for success, yielding bakery-quality cookies right in your own kitchen.
Looking for more irresistible cookie recipes? Be sure to try our vibrant Lemon Blueberry Cookies, invigorating Espresso Cookies, and comforting Coffee Cake Cookies for more delicious baking adventures.
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WHY THIS BROWN BUTTER COOKIE RECIPE WORKS FLAWLESSLY
This chocolate chip pecan cookie recipe isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s a masterclass in achieving perfect texture and unparalleled flavor. Here’s why you’ll fall in love with it:
- Effortlessly Easy to Make: Forget the hassle of specialized equipment! These cookies are designed to be incredibly easy to make, requiring only a simple bowl and a hand whisk or spatula. This makes them perfect for bakers of all skill levels, from beginners to those seeking a quick and satisfying baking project. The simple technique ensures a stress-free process without compromising on quality or flavor.
- The Ultimate Texture Contrast: Prepare for pure cookie perfection! Each cookie boasts wonderfully crispy, caramelized edges that provide a delightful crunch. This contrasts beautifully with an irresistibly chewy and soft center, creating a textural experience that is nothing short of sublime. This ideal balance is what sets these cookies apart, making every bite a decadent treat.
- Loaded with Pecans and Chocolate Chips: We believe in generosity when it comes to inclusions! These cookies are absolutely brimming with a delightful combination of crunchy pecans and rich chocolate chips. Every mouthful guarantees a hearty presence of both, ensuring a burst of nutty, chocolatey goodness throughout. The ample amount of mix-ins contributes significantly to the cookies’ luxurious texture and robust flavor profile.
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN COOKIES
Crafting these exceptional cookies starts with understanding the role of each key ingredient. While a full list is available in the recipe card below, here’s a closer look at what makes these cookies so special:
- Pecan Nuts: The star of the show, pecans add a wonderful crunch and a distinct nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate. For optimal distribution and texture, ensure your pecans are chopped into smaller, uniform pieces. This allows them to integrate seamlessly into the dough and ensures a nutty bite in every part of the cookie. Lightly toasting them before chopping can also enhance their flavor even further.
- Chocolate Chips: We highly recommend using semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe. Their balanced sweetness complements the richness of the browned butter and pecans without being overly sugary. While chips are convenient, using a high-quality dark chocolate bar roughly chopped can introduce varying sizes of chocolate shards, leading to incredible pools of melted chocolate throughout your cookies.
- Butter: This isn’t just any butter; it’s browned butter. Melting the butter over medium heat until it turns a nutty, amber color develops an incredible depth of flavor that is truly transformative. This browning process removes some of the water content from the butter, intensifying its richness and adding a complex, caramel-like note that is central to the unique taste of these cookies. Remember to cool it back to room temperature after browning to ensure proper emulsification with the sugars.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Essential for that signature chewy texture and rich flavor. Dark brown sugar contains molasses, which not only adds moisture to the cookie dough but also contributes to its deep caramel notes and encourages a softer, chewier final product. This is crucial for achieving the perfect balance with the crispy edges.
- Eggs: Using eggs at room temperature is vital for a smoothly incorporated dough. Room temperature eggs emulsify much more easily with the other ingredients, creating a more uniform and consistent dough. This recipe also calls for an extra egg yolk, which adds richness, enhances chewiness, and helps create that desirable soft, gooey center without making the cookies cakey.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of our cookies. Ensure you measure it accurately, preferably by weight, to avoid a dry or dense cookie.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work in harmony to give the cookies their perfect rise and spread. Baking soda reacts with the acidic brown sugar, while baking powder provides additional lift, ensuring a light yet chewy interior.
- Cinnamon & Salt: A touch of cinnamon adds a subtle warmth that enhances the nutty notes of the pecans and browned butter. Salt, often overlooked, is crucial for balancing the sweetness and intensifying all the other flavors in the cookie. Don’t skip it!
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract provides a foundational warmth and aromatic sweetness, rounding out the flavor profile of these delicious cookies.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: BAKING PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN COOKIES
Get ready to bake the most irresistible Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies with these easy-to-follow steps. You don’t need any complex equipment; just two large bowls, a trusty whisk, and a spatula are all you’ll require to create these masterpieces. The full, detailed recipe, including precise measurements, can be found below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: Achieve Golden Brown Butter Bliss. In a medium-sized, light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Stir or swirl occasionally. The butter will first melt, then foam, and eventually, golden-brown bits will appear at the bottom, and the butter itself will turn a beautiful amber color and smell nutty. This process typically takes about 8-10 minutes. Once it reaches that deep amber hue and fragrant aroma, immediately pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Crucially, make sure to scrape all the caramelized brown bits from the bottom of the pan into your bowl, as these bits are packed with flavor. Place the bowl in the fridge to cool down to room temperature, which usually takes around 20 minutes. This cooling step is essential for the dough’s consistency.
STEP 2: Cream Sugars into the Browned Butter. Once your browned butter has cooled to room temperature (it should be solid but still soft, like softened butter), add the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to the same bowl. Using a sturdy spatula or a whisk, vigorously mix these ingredients together for about 1 minute until well combined and creamy. If you prefer, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment can be used for this step, but it’s certainly not necessary.
STEP 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients. Add the room-temperature egg, the extra egg yolk, and the vanilla extract to your butter and sugar mixture. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined and smooth. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. With your spatula, gently mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour, as overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
While your cookie dough chills, preheat your oven to 175ºC (350ºF) for a conventional oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, which will prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
STEP 4: Scoop, Chill, and Prepare for Baking. Once your dough is mixed, it’s time for the delicious add-ins. Chop your pecans into small, consistent pieces, roughly the same size as your chocolate chips. Fold both the chopped pecans and chocolate chips into the cookie dough using your spatula until evenly distributed. Using a large 2-ounce cookie scoop (or approximately ¼ cup / 90g of dough), scoop out 12 uniform cookie dough balls and place them onto the prepared baking tray. For an extra bakery-style touch, you can press a few additional chocolate chips and pecan pieces onto the tops of each dough ball. This creates beautiful visuals post-baking. Now, place the entire tray of scooped cookie dough in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough is crucial as it prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, allows the flavors to meld, and results in a thicker, chewier cookie.
STEP 5: Bake to Golden Perfection. Place 3-4 cookie dough balls per baking tray, ensuring adequate space between them for even spread. Bake one tray at a time in your preheated oven for 11-13 minutes. The cookies are done when their edges are golden brown and set, but their centers still look slightly soft and gooey. This indicates a perfect chewy interior. While one tray bakes, keep the remaining cookie dough balls in the fridge to maintain their chilled state. Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This initial cooling on the hot tray helps them firm up without becoming brittle.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR FLAWLESS COOKIES
Achieving bakery-quality cookies at home is entirely possible with a few professional insights. Here are some expert tips to ensure your chocolate chip pecan cookies turn out perfectly every single time:
- Precision with a Kitchen Scale: For truly consistent and perfect results, a kitchen scale is your best friend. My recipes, and indeed most professional baking recipes, use grams as the default unit of measurement because it is the most precise way to measure ingredients. Volume measurements (like cups) can vary widely, leading to inconsistent dough. Investing in a digital kitchen scale will drastically improve your baking accuracy and the final outcome of your cookies.
- Avoid Overmixing the Batter: Once you’ve added the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies instead of the desirable soft and chewy texture. I always finish with a gentle fold using a spatula after the initial mixing to ensure all ingredients from the bottom of the bowl are incorporated without overworking the dough.
- The Right Baking Pan Matters: For the best golden-brown and evenly baked cookies, use an aluminum baking pan. Aluminum pans are light in color, which means they reflect heat and bake more gently. This results in cookies with a softer bottom and a perfectly even bake. Darker baking pans absorb more heat, which can lead to a darker, crispier crust that may dry out your cookies. Always line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy removal and consistent baking.
- Chill Your Dough for Superior Flavor and Texture: Don’t skip the chilling step! Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or even longer, up to 24-48 hours) solidifies the butter, preventing excessive spreading in the oven for a thicker cookie. More importantly, it allows the flavors, especially that of the browned butter, to deepen and meld, resulting in a more complex and delicious cookie.
- The “Cookie Scoot” for Perfect Rounds: Right after removing your cookies from the oven, while they are still warm and pliable, use a large round cookie cutter or a glass (slightly larger than your cookies) to “scoot” around each cookie. This gently pushes the edges inward, creating perfectly round cookies. This trick is a game-changer for presentation!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Beyond just eggs, ensuring all your dairy ingredients (butter, eggs) are at room temperature allows them to emulsify correctly, creating a smoother, more consistent dough that bakes evenly.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN COOKIES
Absolutely! If you prefer smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons or 1.3 ounces of dough per cookie). Adjust the baking time accordingly, usually 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are still soft. Keep an eye on them, as smaller cookies bake faster.
Yes, this dough is fantastic for making ahead! Scoop the cookie dough into balls as instructed, then place them in an airtight container or cover them tightly with plastic wrap. Store the cookie balls in the fridge overnight, or even for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to bake, proceed with the instructions in the recipe; no need to bring them to room temperature first, though they might take an extra minute or two in the oven.
Freezing cookie dough is a great way to have fresh cookies on demand! Scoop the cookie dough into balls and arrange them on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen dough balls to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 30 days. When ready to bake, let the cookie balls thaw for about 1 hour at room temperature before baking them as instructed in the recipe. This ensures even baking from the center outwards.
While pecans offer a unique flavor profile, you can certainly experiment with other nuts! Walnuts, almonds, or even macadamia nuts would make delicious substitutions. For best results, ensure they are roughly chopped to a similar size as the pecans.
Excessive spreading can be due to several factors: not chilling the dough long enough, butter being too warm, or an oven that isn’t at the correct temperature. Ensure your dough is properly chilled, use a kitchen thermometer to verify your oven’s accuracy, and avoid placing too many cookies on one baking sheet, which can lower the temperature.
Browned butter is a game-changer! The process of browning butter cooks out the water and toasts the milk solids, creating a rich, nutty, and caramel-like flavor that adds immense depth and complexity to the cookies. It transforms a standard chocolate chip cookie into something truly extraordinary and irresistible.
STORAGE AND ENJOYMENT TIPS FOR YOUR COOKIES
To maintain their delicious taste and perfect texture, proper storage is key for your pecan chocolate chip cookies. Store them in an airtight container or a cookie jar at room temperature. For optimal freshness and flavor, they are best enjoyed within 1 to 2 days of baking. While they remain perfectly edible for longer, their edges may soften slightly over time. If you want to extend their life, you can freeze baked cookies (see FAQ section for dough freezing) in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw them at room temperature or gently warm them in a low oven for a few minutes to bring back that freshly baked feel.
Other Irresistible Cookie Recipes To Try
- Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- 25 Best Summer Dessert Ideas
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- 20 Best Easter Dessert Ideas
If you loved this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW! Your feedback helps other bakers discover these amazing cookies. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats to share your creations. For more inspiring ideas, be sure to follow me on Pinterest!
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
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Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Medium Saucepan (light-colored)
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Large Cookie Scoop (2 oz / ¼ cup)
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN COOKIES
- 240 g unsalted butter (browned and cooled)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 150 g dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 140 g semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate bar + extra for topping
- 75 g pecans (chopped into small pieces + extra for topping)
- Flaky sea salt (optional, for sprinkling)
For precise baking results, always use a digital kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients in grams. While US customary cup measurements are provided as a rough estimate, baking is a science where accuracy ensures the best texture and flavor.
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN COOKIES
- In a medium-sized, light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium/high heat. This process takes about 8-10 minutes. As it melts, it will foam and eventually brown. Swirl the pan occasionally to observe the color change; you’re looking for a deep amber color and a nutty aroma. Once browned, immediately pour the liquid gold into a large mixing bowl. Be sure to scrape down all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan, as they are packed with flavor. Place the bowl in the fridge to cool down to room temperature for approximately 20 minutes, or until it’s solid but still soft like room temperature butter.240 g butter
- Once the browned butter has reached room temperature (soft but not melted), add the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to the bowl. With a sturdy whisk or spatula, vigorously mix the sugars and butter together for 1 minute until well combined and creamy. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed for this step.100 g granulated sugar, 150 g dark brown sugar
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth. Avoid overmixing at this stage to keep the cookies tender.1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Using your spatula, gently mix until just combined. It is crucial not to overmix at this stage; stop as soon as no dry streaks of flour are visible to ensure tender cookies.300 g all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Chop the pecans into small, consistent pieces, aiming for a size similar to your chocolate chips. Add both the chopped pecans and chocolate chips to the cookie dough. Gently fold them in with your spatula until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.140 g dark chocolate chips, 75 g pecans
- Using a large 2-ounce cookie scoop (or about ⅓ cup / 90g of dough), scoop out 12 uniform cookie dough balls. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring ample space between each one. For a picture-perfect finish, you can optionally press a few extra pecans and chocolate chips onto the tops of each dough ball. Place the prepared cookies in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes; this helps prevent spreading and enhances flavor.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 175ºC (350ºF) for a conventional oven. Prepare a baking sheet with fresh baking paper. Place 3-4 cookie dough balls per baking tray to prevent overcrowding and ensure even baking. Bake one tray at a time for 11-13 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges are golden brown and set, but the centers still appear slightly soft and gooey. Keep any unbaked cookie dough balls in the fridge while you bake the others.
- Once baked, remove the tray from the oven. For an extra touch of gourmet flavor, optionally sprinkle the warm cookies with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Let them cool on the baking tray for 2-3 minutes. They will still be very soft when they first come out, and this brief cooling period allows them to set up without breaking. Then, use a spatula to carefully lift them onto a wire rack to cool down completely. Enjoy them warm for the ultimate gooey experience!