About this Recipe

Don’t mind me, I’m just over here romanticizing the perfect chocolate chip cookie—one that just so happens to also contain the most delicious ice cream flavor. These are my brown butter butter pecan chocolate chip cookies. They’re not only the perfect cozy fall bake, but really, a good idea any day!

I will say, though, I do picture myself walking through Central Park with one of these and a hot coffee in hand—red, orange, and yellow leaves all around me, with rich brownstones lining the streets. But I’m in California, and it’s about 95 degrees… Oh well, a girl can dream, right?

We start this recipe by toasting our buttery pecans until they’re golden and fragrant, then folding them into a rich brown butter cookie dough filled with dark chocolate to help balance the sweetness. The end result is a crispy, thinner cookie with soft and chewy in the centers, and packed with nutty, caramelized flavor. And of course, we can’t forget the finishing touch: a few good bangs of the pan on the counter right after they come out of the oven, (Thank you Sarah Kieffer for this technique) This helps create those beautiful rippled edges and gives the centers that perfectly soft, crinkly texture. I like to finish my cookies with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. And from there, you’ve got the ultimate butter pecan chocolate chip cookie! If I had a bakery, these would definitely be on the top of the list.

Key Ingredients

Brown (unsalted) Butter – The ultimate flavor bomb in these cookies! This simple and easy step really elevates these cookies in the best way. Used in both the pecans and cookie dough.

Granulated & Brown Sugar – I always use a mixture of both granulated and brown sugar- together they yield the best cookies. I use a little more granulated sugar in this recipe to help with spread and crispy edges in these cookies.

All – Purpose Flour – We are using a little less flour in this recipe as the cookies need to stay moist and spread as they bake!

Baking Soda – Helps with spread, browning and those gorgeous crunchy edges in each cookie!

Pecans – The star for this recipe! I like to roughly chop my pecans for this recipe. Whole or fine is totally okay as well!

Sea Salt – A sprinkle of fine sea salt in both the butter pecans and cookie dough will help balance the sweetness in these cookies. And a sprinkling of course sea salt on top of each cookie really enhances the flavor of everything- plus provides a little texture.

High Quality Dark Chocolate Chips – I opted for dark chocolate in this recipe to offset some of the sweetness of course. But the slight bitterness from the dark chocolate complements the roasted flavors of both the brown butter and pecans. You can opt for semi sweet chocolate if you prefer.

FAQ’s

More Recipes!

Here are some more recipes you might enjoy!

Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chilis Copycat Paradise Pies

Thin and Crispy Cookies and Cream Cookies

Millionaire Brownies

Lime & Toasted Coconut Blondies (with brown butter!)

If you try this recipe, I would love your feedback! Please leave a star rating, a comment below or on the reel in Instagram! Also please share what you made and tag @eatatmaudes ! Thanks for making yummies with me!

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Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

20 minutes mins

Total Time 48 minutes mins

SERVINGS 12 cookies

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Equipment

• Saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Mixing bowls (medium & large)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Kitchen Scale highly recommend for this recipe to achieve ultra crispy cookies!
• Rubber spatula
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Metal spatula

Ingredients 

Butter Pecans

• 1 cup (110 g) pecans, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tbsp (12 g) dark brown sugar
• pinch of salt

Cookies

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, plus 2 tbsp (28 g) butter added back after browning (after browning and additional 2 tbsp, butter will be 218 mL)
• 1 cup (190 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp (175 g) dark brown sugar, packed (light brown also works)
• 2 1/3 cups (290 g) all-purpose flour, NOT packed spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract (vanilla bean paste also works great)
• 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) whole milk, room temperature
• Flaky sea salt for topping
• dark chocolate chips (about half a cup) (I used ghirardelli, you can also use semi sweet if you prefer)

Instructions 

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Note before beginning: This recipe was tested with a kitchen scale so I highly recommend using one here, especially when measuring flour. If you don't have access to a scale, please do not pack the flour into the measuring cup. Too much flour can cause these cookies turn out cakey instead of thin and crispy.
• To begin, we will toast our pecans. To a medium skillet, add pecans, salt, butter and brown sugar. Over medium heat, using a wooden spoon, stir the pecans. Keep stirring until the butter starts to foam and you smell the aroma of the pecans toasting (This will take a couple of minutes- do not walk away from your stove- the pecans toast fast). Remove from the heat, drain the butter and lay the pecans out on a flat surface lined with parchment paper. **Let the pecans cool completely.
• Now we will brown our butter for the base of the cookies. Add 1 cup of butter to a light-colored saucepan or skillet and place it over medium heat. (Reserve the 2 additional tbsp of butter for after the browning stage.) *Ive found that a light-colored pan makes it easier to see when the milk solids begin to brown. Allow the butter to melt completely, stirring occasionally. As it cooks, the butter will start to foam and sputter and splatter- this is totally normal. Continue stirring.
• As the foam begins to subside, you'll notice golden-brown specks forming on the bottom of the pan and a rich, nutty aroma developing. Keep a close eye on it at this stage, as the butter can brown quickly. Once the milk solids are a deep golden brown and smell toasted and fragrant, remove the pan from the heat immediately. Pour the browned butter, including all of the flavorful browned bits, into a large heat-safe bowl. We don't want the butter to continue to cook. Add the additional 2 tbsp of butter and mix until the tbsp has melted. Let the butter cool for about 10 minutes.
Note: The additional 2 tbsp of butter after the browning step adds moisture back into the butter.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). To the butter, add the brown and granulated sugars. Using a rubber spatula, mix well then add the egg, yolk and vanilla extract or paste. Mix well again.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients and tbsp of milk to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula gently mix until almost fully combined. Add the pecans and mix until just incorporated (wait on the chocolate chips). Be careful not to overmix the dough.
• Using a kitchen scale, scoop the dough into 12 portions, about 88 g each (depending on measurments). Roll each portion into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add a small handful of chocolate chips to the top of each cookie. Now we are ready to bake, do not chill the dough.
Normally, I like to chill the dough but in this recipe, we want flat cookies that spread- so we will bake immediately.
• We want to only bake only 2-3 cookies at time (they need room to spread). Bake for about 7–9 minutes- cookies will spread, this is normally. Pull the cookies once they no longer look greasy on top but still slightly underbaked looking.
• Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, carefully drop the baking sheet onto a hard, flat surface from a few inches above. This will knock some of the air out of the cookies, helping create their signature thin, crispy texture (feel free to drop the pan one to two more times if you want your cookies extra thin) Add a few chocolate chips if desired. Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!
If your cookies spread unevenly while baking, don’t worry! Simply place a large bowl upside down over the cookie while it’s still warm, then gently swirl the bowl around the cookie. This will help shape the edges into a perfectly round, uniform cookie.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help maintain their thin, crispy texture, make sure the cookies are completely cool before storing. For the best texture, I’d recommend enjoying them within the first 1–2 days, as they may gradually soften over time and lose that crisp and fresh taste!

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