Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

Soft and chewy browned butter pecan cookies made with toasted pecans and simple ingredients. An easy cookie recipe with rich, nutty flavour.

These browned butter pecan cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with rich, nutty flavour. Browning the butter adds a deeper, almost caramel-like taste that makes these cookies feel a little more special without adding any extra ingredients. Toasted pecans bring a warm crunch that pairs perfectly with the buttery dough.

The dough comes together with simple pantry staples and benefits from a short chill in the fridge, which helps the cookies bake up thicker with lightly crisp edges and soft centres. They are easy enough for everyday baking but delicious enough to serve during the holidays, at cookie exchanges, or whenever you are craving a homemade treat.

Tips for Best Results

• Cool the browned butter: Make sure the browned butter has cooled slightly before adding the eggs to prevent scrambling.
• Toast the pecans: Lightly toasting the pecans brings out their flavour and keeps them crunchy in the cookies.
• Chill the dough: Refrigerating the dough for at least 30 minutes helps prevent spreading and produces thicker, chewier cookies.
• Don’t overmix: Stir the dry ingredients in just until combined to keep the cookies tender.
• Watch the bake time: Remove the cookies when the edges are lightly golden and the centres still look soft – they’ll firm up as they cool.
• Add extra pecans on top (optional): Pressing a few pieces onto the warm cookies gives a nice finishing touch and makes them look bakery-style.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• All-purpose flour: Provides structure. Spoon into your measuring cup and level off with a knife to avoid packing, which can make cookies dense. Gluten-free 1:1 flour blends can be used, though texture may change slightly.
• Cornstarch: Helps cookies stay soft and thick; arrowroot powder works as a substitute.
• Baking soda & salt: Provide lift and balance the sweetness.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavour. Salted butter can be used if the added salt is reduced slightly. Browning the butter intensifies the nutty flavour.
• Brown sugar & granulated sugar: Provide sweetness and moisture. Dark brown sugar adds a deeper caramel flavour. Granulated sugar can be swapped with caster sugar.
• Eggs: Bind the dough and add moisture; room-temperature eggs work best.
• Vanilla extract: Adds aromatic sweetness; pure is best, imitation works if needed.
• Pecans: Give crunch and nutty flavour. Walnuts or almonds can be used as alternatives. Toasting the nuts enhances flavour.

Looking for More Cookie Recipes?

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These hot chocolate cookies are the perfect winter treat! They’re easy to make, soft and chewy, and they taste just like a rich hot cocoa.

Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

Yield: About 30 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Chill time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes per batch

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (170 g / 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (125 g) chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

1. Brown the butter
   Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty smell, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Toast the pecans
   Toast the chopped pecans in a dry skillet or in the oven for about 5 minutes, just until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
3. Combine the dry ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
4. Mix the wet ingredients
   In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled browned butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs until fully incorporated, then stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture will look glossy and fairly thin.
5. Make the cookie dough
   Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans.
6. Chill the dough
   Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
7. Prepare for baking
   When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
8. Portion the cookies
   Use a 1 tablespoon scoop to drop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Do not roll the dough into balls.
9. Bake
   Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centres still look slightly soft.
10. Cool the cookies
    Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Optional finishing touch
    Press a few extra pecan pieces onto the tops while the cookies are still warm if desired.
12. Storage
    Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Continue to Content

Yield: About 30 cookies

Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Soft and chewy browned butter pecan cookies made with toasted pecans and simple ingredients. An easy cookie recipe with rich, nutty flavour.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (170 g / 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (125 g) chopped pecans, toasted

Instructions

1. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty smell, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Toast the chopped pecans in a dry skillet or in the oven for about 5 minutes, just until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled browned butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs until fully incorporated, then stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture will look glossy and fairly thin.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans.
6. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
8. Use a 1 tablespoon scoop to drop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2
   inches between each cookie. Do not roll the dough into balls.
9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centres still look slightly soft.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Press a few extra pecan pieces onto the tops while the cookies are still warm if desired.

Notes

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1 Cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g

This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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