They’re soft, buttery, nutty, and melt in your mouth — perfect for holidays, gifting, or coffee-time treats. The toasted pecans add a deep caramel flavor that makes them irresistible.Here’s a tried-and-true, bakery-quality recipe 👇
🍪 Butter Pecan Cookies
🍽️ Yield:
About 24 cookies
⏱️ Time:
Prep: 15 min | Chill: 30 min | Bake: 12–14 min
Ingredients
-
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
-
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
-
¼ cup granulated sugar
-
1 large egg, room temperature
-
2 tsp vanilla extract
-
2 cups all-purpose flour
-
½ tsp baking soda
-
½ tsp salt
-
1½ cups pecans, chopped and toasted
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Toast the pecans
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
-
Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant.
-
Cool and set aside.
2. Make the cookie dough
-
In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
-
Add egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
-
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
-
Stir in toasted pecans.
3. Chill the dough
-
Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes (this keeps cookies thick and chewy).
4. Bake
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) (if not already).
-
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
Scoop dough into 1½-inch balls (about 1½ Tbsp each).
-
Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
-
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until edges are golden but centers still soft.
-
Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
5. Serve & store
-
Enjoy warm, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
-
You can also freeze the dough balls and bake straight from frozen (add 1–2 min bake time).
💡 Tips & Variations
-
For extra flavor, brown the butter before making the dough (cool it first) — gives the cookies a rich nutty aroma.
-
Add a drizzle of caramel or white chocolate for a decadent touch.
-
Mix in a handful of toffee bits for crunch and sweetness.
-
Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt before baking for a gourmet twist.
Would you like me to give you the brown butter butter pecan version next? It’s even richer and has that toasted toffee-like flavor everyone raves about.
