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Butter Pecan Cookies with golden edges, toasted pecans on top, and a soft, crumbly texture.

Butter Pecan Cookies

Rich, nutty butter pecan cookies made with brown butter–toasted pecans, crisp edges, and chewy centers. Foolproof, bakery-quality cookies made from simple ingredients and an easy five-step method.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brown butter pecan cookies, Butter Pecan Cookies, Butter pecan cookies davids, Butter pecan cookies recipe, Old fashioned butter pecan cookies, Peanut butter pecan cookies, Simple butter pecan cookies recipe, Southern butter pecan cookies recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 210kcal
Cost: $9

Equipment

  • 1 Light-colored saucepan (Helps monitor browning butter)
  • 2 Mixing bowls (One medium, one large)
  • 1 Electric hand mixer (Or wooden spoon)
  • 2 Baking sheets (Lined with parchment)
  • 1 Parchment paper (Or silicone mats)
  • 1 Cookie scoop (Optional but helpful)
  • 1 Wooden spoon or spatula (For browning butter)

Ingredients

For the Brown Butter

  • 1 cup Unsalted butter - 2 sticks
  • 1 ½ cups Pecans, chopped - Toasted in the brown butter

For the Cookie Dough

  • 2 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt - Reduce if using salted butter
  • 1 cup Brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 large Eggs - Room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

Optional Add-Ins

  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon - Warm flavor
  • 1 tablespoon Bourbon - For brown butter bourbon variation
  • Flaky sea salt - For topping
  • Extra pecan halves - For topping

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped pecans. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until butter turns amber and pecans deepen in color. Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
  • Once brown butter has cooled to room temperature, transfer to a large bowl. Add brown and granulated sugar. Beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla (and bourbon if using).
  • Add dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until combined. Dough will be soft. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 1.5-tablespoon dough balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Top with pecan halves and flaky salt if desired. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden and centers look slightly underdone. Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a rack.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie (about 35 g) | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg