Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
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Brown Butter Pecan Cookies combine the nutty flavor of browned butter with standard cookie ingredients including toasted pecans. These delicious cookies have a rich flavor and a nutty aroma like no other.
For another delicious cookie that incorporates brown butter, try my Brown Butter Toffee Cookies!
Butter Pecan Cookies
These delicious cookies taste a lot like butter pecan ice cream. If you enjoy this delicious flavor like we do, you’re going to need to make these cookies STAT.
Making the brown butter is NOT difficult. It takes a few extra minutes and is totally worth it. Trust me on this.
Why We Love This Recipe
- SIMPLE COOKIE RECIPE – This easy recipe includes basic ingredients that is a sure thing 100% of the time.
- DEPTH OF FLAVOR – The brown butter taste to cookies is truly amazing. It’s next level and truly makes the best cookies!
- CHEWY COOKIES – The texture of brown butter pecan cookies is perfection. Soft and chewy in the centers with crispy edges.
Ingredients needed for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies:
- Butter – You’ll need one cup of unsalted butter. See below for how I brown the butter.
- Sugar – A combo of brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Eggs – Two large eggs, at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract – I love the Watkin’s Vanilla brand.
- Flour – You’ll need 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour.
- Salt – I use kosher salt.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – The leavening agents for the best sugar cookies.
- Cornstarch – For some added softness.
How to make brown butter:
This process is very easy. You just have to be patient while browning, and watch it very closely. You want browned butter – NOT burnt butter.
- Place the butter in a small saucepan on the stove, over medium heat.
- Heat butter until melted, and when it starts sizzling, start stirring with a spatula.
- Keep the heat at medium, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, keeping the butter moving in the pan.
- After about 8-10 minutes, you should see some brown bits starting to form on the bottom. When you see this, stir for a few seconds longer and then remove the pan from the heat.
- Pour the butter immediately into a small bowl. You’ll see the brown specks in the butter.
- Let the butter cool slightly.
- Now you are ready to use this nutty brown butter in your cookies!
How to make Brown Butter Pecan Cookies:
Step 1
Brown the butter. See instructions above.
Step 2
Toast pecans. Over medium heat, toast the pecans until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 3
Combine wet ingredients. To a large bowl, combine the slightly cooled browned butter and both sugars. Use a spoon to mix together. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix again.
Step 4
Add dry ingredients. Add the baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and cornstarch to the bowl. Mix and then add the flour. Mix again until just combined.
Note: You can toast pecans for an extra toasty flavor.
Step 5
Add pecans. Then add the chopped pecans into the dough. Stir gently.
Step 6
Form cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to form balls and place on a parchment lined pan. You should get about 20 dough balls.
Step 7
Chill dough. Place the cookie balls in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
Step 8
Bake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on large baking sheets prepared with pieces of parchment paper or silicone mats, for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown. Bake time varies with individual ovens.
Step 9
Cool. Let the cookies sit on the pan for about 5 minutes after baking. Then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
Storing and Freezing
- STORE these amazing cookies in an airtight container on your countertop for up to three days.
- FREEZE the baked cookies in freezer bags for two to three months.
What happens when butter is browned?
When the butter melts, water evaporates out of the butter and the butterfat and milk solids separate. The solids sink to the bottom of the pan and eventually begin to brown. The butter then turns into a heavenly rich fat that will transform your cookies.
Recipe Tips:
- Let the brown butter sit in order to cool slightly before using. I sometimes place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or so.
- Carefully measure the flour using the spoon and sweep method. Makes a huge difference when baking!
- Chill the cookie dough for at least two hours before baking. This helps the cookies from over spreading.
- If your cookies are spreading too much while baking, you can remove the pan, fix the edges with a spoon, and place back in the oven.
- Let cookies cool slightly before moving them to cooling racks.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter – melted, browned, and partially cooled
- 2 large eggs – at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – plus one tablespoon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups chopped pecans – toasted
Instructions
Brown the butter:
- Place the butter in a small saucepan on the stove, over medium heat. Heat butter until melted, and when it starts sizzling, start stirring with a spatula. Keep the heat at medium, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, keeping the butter moving in the pan.
- After about 8-10 minutes, you should see some brown bits starting to form on the bottom. When you see this, stir for a few seconds longer and then remove the pan from the heat. Pour the butter immediately into a small bowl. You’ll see the brown specks in the butter. Let the butter cool slightly.
For the cookies:
- Toast pecans. Over medium heat, toast the pecans until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine wet ingredients. To a large bowl, combine the slightly cooled browned butter and both sugars. Use a spoon to mix together. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix again.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and cornstarch to the bowl. Mix and then add the flour. Mix again until just combined.
- Add pecans. Then add the chopped pecans into the dough. Stir gently.
- Form cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to form balls and place on a parchment lined pan. You should get about 20 dough balls.
- Chill dough. Place the cookie balls in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
- Bake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on large baking sheets prepared with pieces of parchment paper or silicone mats (about six on one pan). Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until slightly golden on top.
- Cool. Let the cookies sit on the pan for about 5 minutes after baking. Then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- STORE these amazing cookies in an airtight container on your countertop for up to three days.
- FREEZE the baked cookies in freezer bags for two to three months.
These cookies are dangerous! I mean you can’t just have one. They are too dang delicious. The brown butter takes these cookies to the next level. I now call these my favorite cookies!
THE BEST COOKIE!
The best cookie ever! Amen!