These scrumptious browned butter pecan cookies are filled with buttered cinnamon pecans, brown butter, and light brown sugar. These cookies are soft, chewy and filled with warm spices. You don't need a mixer to make these cookies and they can be made in one bowl!
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These brown butter cookies are based off of my chocolate chip brown butter cookie recipe! I've made a few changes to the recipe to work for these butter pecan cookies, like adding an extra egg to make them soft and chewy and some cornstarch.
If you want to make these cookies extra special, you can also roll the cookie dough balls in sugar before baking! This gives them a gorgeous sparkly look. Never made brown butter before? Check out my post on how to make browned butter for all my tips and tricks!
If you want a chocolate chip version of these cookies without brown butter, check out these pecan chocolate chip cookies! Or if you want more pecan recipes, try my banana bread with pecans. Or how about a peanut butter version of these cookies? Then try my peanut butter brown butter cookies!
Tell me about this recipe!
- These cookies are made with brown butter, making them taste so deliciously nutty! Brown butter is a serious game changer.
- The pecans are toasted with butter and ground cinnamon. Lightly toasting the pecans makes these cookies a 10 out of 10 in my books!
- You don't need a mixer to make these cookies, they can be made in 1 bowl and with a whisk!
- There is just 20 minutes of hands on time, you will have to let the brown butter cool and briefly chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes. I promise that makes all the difference!
Ingredient Notes
Flour: I've only tested this recipe with all purpose flour and not with any gluten free flours. Let me know if you try it with a gluten free flour!
Unsalted Butter: I always use European style butter which has a higher butterfat content, giving a much creamier and richer taste.
Cornstarch: this helps make the cookies a tiny bit softer! This is also known as cornflour.
Pecans: make sure you're using fresh pecans! If you don't properly store your pecans, they can go rancid and you definitely don't want to use those in this cookie recipe.
Cinnamon: use ground cinnamon to give these cookies that warm spice flavor.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Start off by toasting your pecans! Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan and add your chopped pecans and ground cinnamon. Cook over a low heat until toasted, stirring occasionally. Once it smells toasted, remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool down.
Step 2: Place the rest of your butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and melt. Once melted, increase to medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The butter will begin to foam and bubble. You should then see white milk solids at the bottom of the pan, and the foam should begin to subside. Keep stirring until the milk solids turn a light brown and it smells nutty and toasted. Pour the melted butter into your stand mixer bowl or a large bowl and let it cool completely. Make sure to scrape out all the browned butter bits!
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients until smooth - the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and the rest of the ground cinnamon.
Step 4: In the bowl with the cooled browned butter, add the sugar, light brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
Step 5: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add your butter pecans. Fold until there are no more streaks of flour. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough. Place a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake 1 sheet at a time for 12-13 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the cookie tray before letting them cool completely on a wire rack.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Measuring - I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
- Bakery Style Cookies - Once the cookies are out of the oven, use a biscuit cutter or a large mug to gently 'scoot' the cookies into a perfect circular shape.
- Sparkling Cookies - you can roll the cookie dough balls in white sugar just before baking to get a sparkly look! I don't recommend using light brown sugar for this though as you won't get the same effect.
- Toffee Bits - Have toffee bits or fudge pieces you want to add? Add up to a half cup of toffee bits along with the dry ingredients!
Got some questions?
Adding cornstarch to the cookies will make them softer and more tender. This is optional, you can leave it out if you don't have it and you'll still have delicious cookies!
I have tested this recipe with just regular pecans (no toasting in butter and cinnamon!) and the cookies taste much better when they've been toasted with the butter and cinnamon. This extra step will make a big difference!
Yes! Freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 3 months, you can bake them from frozen but just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Try these cookie recipe next!
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Recipe
Browned Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
Butter Pecans
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups (175 grams) pecans roughly chopped
Cookies
- 1 ½ sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup (204 grams) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start off by making the butter pecans. In a skillet or small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the 2 tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add your chopped pecan and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once they smell toasty, turn the heat off and pour the nuts into a bowl to cool.2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 ½ cups (175 grams) pecans
- Using the same saucepan (saving on dishes!), brown your butter. Over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, increase the heat to medium and let the butter begin to foam. Keep cooking and stirring with a spatula, until the butter begins to brown and gives off a nutty smell (2-3 minutes). Pour into a medium bowl and let cool completely.1 ½ sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter
- While the butter is cooling, whisk your dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, nutmeg and cinnamon.2 ½ cups (300 grams) all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Add the sugars to the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add your eggs and vanilla extract.1 cup (204 grams) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) white sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients, then fold in the pecans. There shouldn't be any more dry spots in the batter but you don't want to overmix it! Optional: if you want to, fold in toffee bits or fudge bits.
- Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes, or up to 2 days. If you refrigerate for over 30 minutes, you will have to let the dough come to room temperature before scooping out the cookie dough, otherwise it will be too hard.
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball (optional: you can roll in white sugar if you want sparkly cookies!). Place on the baking sheet, making sure there is about 2 inches of space. Bake for 12-13 minutes.
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Laurence says
Bookmarking this recipe!! Made these for a work bake sale and everybody loved them! Couldn't resist keeping a few for myself, loved the cozy winter-y flavours of these!
Ella says
Thank you for your review! 🙂