Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

5 from 1 vote

These Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are soft in the middle, golden at the edges, and packed with toasted pecans. Browning the butter gives the dough a rich, nutty, toffee-like flavor, and a little cinnamon and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt make every bite even better. Bake a batch for holiday cookie trays, bake sales, or an afternoon treat with coffee.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Cool and Chill Time2 20

Total Time2 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 161kcal

Author: Jami Powell

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Cookie scoop (#40)
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup light brown sugar packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped

Topping

½ cup pecans toasted and chopped
flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking for 5–7 minutes, until the butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl, including the browned bits, and let cool for 20 minutes.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled browned butter. Whisk or beat on medium speed until smooth and combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in 1 cup of toasted pecans. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2–3 hours, or until the dough is firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. While the oven heats, let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
Scoop approximately 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie using a #40 cookie scoop, spacing the dough balls about 2 inches apart. Gently press a few pieces of the remaining chopped pecans onto the tops. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt, if desired.

Video

Notes

Cooking Notes

Brown the butter over medium heat until golden and nutty, then pour it into a bowl right away with all the brown bits. Let it cool for 20 minutes before adding the sugars and eggs. Chill the dough until firm so the cookies bake up thick.

Tips for Best Results

Use a light-colored saucepan so you can see the butter change color.
Toast the pecans and let them cool before chopping for the best flavor and crunch.
Chill the dough for the full 2 to 3 hours so the cookies hold their shape.
Pull the cookies while the centers still look soft so they stay chewy.

How to Know It's Ready

The edges should be lightly golden and the centers set but still soft. They'll finish firming up as they cool on the pan.

Nutrition