Butter Pecan Cookies – Soft, Buttery, and Toasty

Butter pecan cookies feel like a warm hug on a cool day. They’re rich, nutty, and soft in the center with gently crisp edges. Toasted pecans bring a deep, caramel-like flavor, while brown butter adds a cozy, bakery-style taste without much effort.

These cookies are simple enough for a weekday bake and special enough for a holiday platter. If you love butter and pecans, this is the cookie that does them justice.

Why This Recipe Works

Toasting the pecans first unlocks their natural oils and flavor, so the cookies taste more nutty and less bland. Using brown butter adds a subtle toffee note that pairs perfectly with the pecans.

A mix of brown and white sugar gives the right balance of chew and crispness. Chilling the dough keeps the cookies from spreading too much and helps the flavors develop. The result is a cookie that’s rich, well-balanced, and irresistibly fragrant.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (lightly toasted)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus a pinch of flaky salt for topping, optional)
• Optional add-in: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for warmth

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Toast the pecans. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

   Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant and lightly darker. Let them cool.

2. Brown the butter. Add the butter to a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5–7 minutes.

   Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Cool to room temperature until just slightly warm and thickened.

3. Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
4. Cream sugars with brown butter. In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat until glossy and well combined, 1–2 minutes.
5. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.

   Mix until smooth and slightly thick.

6. Combine wet and dry. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the toasted pecans, reserving a small handful for topping if you like.
7. Chill the dough. Cover and chill for at least 45 minutes (up to 48 hours). Chilling helps the cookies bake thicker with richer flavor.
8. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
9. Scoop and top. Scoop 1 1/2–2 tablespoon portions (a medium cookie scoop).

   Place 2 inches apart. Press a few extra pecan bits on top and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt if desired.

10. Bake. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden and centers look slightly underdone. Don’t overbake—they’ll finish setting as they cool.
11. Cool. Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

How to Store

• Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

  Add a slice of bread to keep them soft.

• Freezer (baked): Freeze cooled cookies in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp or warm in a 300°F oven for 4–5 minutes.
• Freezer (dough): Scoop dough into balls and freeze on a tray. Transfer to a bag and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Why This is Good for You

Pecans bring healthy fats, fiber, and minerals like manganese and copper.

They’re a satisfying, nutrient-dense nut that adds real substance to a treat. Using brown butter means bigger flavor, so you can feel satisfied with fewer cookies. And because these cookies are rich, a small portion goes a long way, which makes mindful indulgence easier.

It’s a sweet treat with a bit of nutty goodness in every bite.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the pecan toast: Raw pecans taste flat. Toasting takes five minutes and transforms the flavor.
• Using hot butter: If the brown butter is too warm, the dough gets greasy and spreads too much. Let it cool.
• Overmixing the flour: Mix just until combined to avoid tough cookies.
• Overbaking: Pull them when the centers still look soft.

  They’ll set as they cool.

• Not chilling the dough: Warm dough spreads and loses that thick, soft center.
• Too much salt or old leaveners: Measure carefully and make sure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh.

Recipe Variations

• Maple Pecan: Replace 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with pure maple syrup. Add 1/2 teaspoon maple extract if you like.
• Chocolate Chip Pecan: Fold in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips for a bakery-style twist.
• Bourbon Brown Butter: Stir in 1 tablespoon bourbon with the vanilla for depth and warmth.
• Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend with xanthan gum. Chill well and bake on the shorter side.
• Sandwich Cookies: Spread a thin layer of maple cream or vanilla buttercream between two cookies.
• Brown Sugar Only: Swap the granulated sugar for more brown sugar for extra chew and deeper flavor.