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Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

White plate stacked with Chewy Browned Butter Pecan Cookies.

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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.

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

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.