Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

Chewy browned butter pecan cookies have the slightly salty and sweet flavors that everybody craves! They’re nutty, and buttery, with a caramel note from brown sugar. These cookies are spectacular with a cold glass of milk or a cup of hot coffee.

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Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies stacked on a white plate on marble counter.

The flavor of these cookies reminds me of eating butter pecan ice cream with my dad or walking the French Quarter munching on a pecan praline. They are addictive.

Why This Recipe Works

This is a soft and chewy cookie with crispy edges. The brown sugar keeps the cookie moist and ch\ewy. It also gives the cookie a caramel note that is luscious.

The melted butter from the toasted pecans helps the cookie stay soft, and the little bit of butter extract enhances the buttery, caramel flavor.

Finally, baking the cookie only until the edges are golden brown and crisp, and the middle is firm, but still soft and somewhat ‘doughy’ keeps the cookie chewy.

It’s a huge hit in my home and I hope your family will love it just as much.

Top view close up of a white plate stacked with Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies.

Ingredients Needed

Pecans – you’ll need both finely chopped and whole halves for decoration.
Salted butter
Flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt
Dark brown sugar and granulated sugar
Large eggs
Vanilla extract and butter flavored extract – you could get away with only the vanilla, but the butter extract really enhances the flavor of the cookie.

Steps To Make Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

Toast the chopped pecans in butter until golden brown. Spoon the nuts and any remaining butter into a small bowl.
Then in the same pan, melt the butter for the cookie dough and allow it to boil until the milk solids that are on the bottom of the pan begin to turn golden brown.
Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Allow the sugar and butter mixture to cool.
Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
When the sugar and butter mixture is cooled, pour it into a large bowl.
Fold in the dry ingredients and the buttered pecans into the sugar mixture.
Chill the dough for at least 3 hours.
Roll into balls, push a pecan half into the top, and bake until the edges turn golden and crisp, but the middle still looks ‘fudgy’.
Pour a tall glass of milk and enjoy!

White plate stacked with Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies.

Please consider a few of our other cookie recipes:

Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

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Author: Millie Brinkley
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 18 cookies 1x

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

For the butter pecans:

1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons salted butter

For the cookies:

1 cup salted butter, room temperature
2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon butter flavor extract

For decoration:

18 whole pecan halves

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Instructions

Make the buttered pecans.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until foamy.

Add the chopped pecans and stir to coat all of them with the butter.

Saute the nuts, stirring often, until they turn a darker brown and are fragrant.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Make the cookie dough.

In the same skillet that you made the buttered pecans, melt the butter over medium-high heat.

Allow the butter to come to a boil.
Continue to cook, stirring often, until you see the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden brown. Take care not to allow the solids to burn. This can happen quickly!

Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to come to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.

Pour the cooled browned butter into a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the butter.

Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter extract and mix until well combined.

Spoon the dry ingredient into the bowl and fold until there are no visible streaks of flour.

Fold in the buttered pecans.

Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap, form into a disk, and chill for 3 hours or overnight.

Bake the cookies.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Use about 3 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball.

Place on the prepared baking sheet 2-inches apart.

Press a whole pecan half on top.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown, but the centers are still soft.

Remove the tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the tray for about 5 minutes or until the cookies are firm enough to move to a cooling rack.

Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.