These chocolate chip pecan cookies are made in 1 bowl and you don't need a mixer! Extra soft and chewy, each cookie is loaded up with chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
There is nothing better to me than a homemade chocolate chip cookie! These pecan chocolate chip cookies are just like your favorite soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, but loaded up with crunchy pecans.
Using brown butter makes these cookies extra special! The brown butter is so toasty and nutty, so it pairs up perfectly with the pecans. These chewy chocolate chip pecan cookies have golden and slightly crispy edges with a soft middle - the best!
If you want more pecan recipes, try my browned butter pecan cookies or banana bread with pecans!
Jump to:
Why you'll love these chocolate chip pecan cookies!
- No fancy ingredients here! I'm using simple pantry ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
- There's no need to pull out the stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, these cookies are made in 1 bowl and you just need a whisk and a spoon.
- These pecan chocolate chip cookies are lightly spiced with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- I share my tips on how I get bakery style cookies!
Ingredients Needed
- Flour: I've only tested this recipe with all purpose flour.
- Sugar: I'm using white sugar and light brown sugar.
- Pecans: make sure the pecans you're using are fresh! It is so easy for nuts to go rancid. I store my pecans in the freezer if I'm not using them right away.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: make sure both baking soda and baking powder haven't expired.
- Butter: I'm using unsalted butter here to control the level of salt in the cookies.
- Spices: I'm adding a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg for all the cozy vibes.
- Eggs: I'm using a whole egg and an egg yolk to make these cookies extra soft and chewy.
- Chocolate Chips: I love using semisweet chips in my chocolate chip cookies!
Substitutions
- Feel free to swap out pecans for walnuts if you prefer or if that's all you have on hand!
- I recommend using light brown sugar here, but you can use dark brown sugar in a pinch.
- I love adding some warm spices to my cookies, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
- I've used semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use dark chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by browning your butter. Melt your butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir constantly with a rubber spatula. It should start to foam and bubble. Keep stirring until it begins to smell toasted, and you can see the dairy solids at the bottom of the pan have turned golden brown. Pour into a large bowl and let cool.
Step 2: Whisk in your white sugar and light brown sugar until smooth.
Step 3: Whisk in the vanilla extract, egg and egg yolk until smooth.
Step 4: Stir in all of the dry ingredients - the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Stir until a dough has formed, it might look too dry at first and crumbly but it will come together! Finally, stir in your chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
Step 5: Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out 3 tablespoons of dough using an ice cream scooper or spoon and place on the prepared baking sheets, about 3-4 inches apart. You can add extra chocolate chips and pecan pieces on top of each cookie dough ball. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat your oven to 350ºFahrenheit/175ºCelsius. Once preheated, bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes. The edges will be set but the middles will look slightly underbaked. Use a large biscuit cutter or glass to gently scoot the cookies into the perfect cookie shape! Let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- I always recommend using a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients! It is so easy to add too much flour to your cookie dough, giving you super dry cookies.
- For that bakery style look, I like keeping a small handful of chocolate chips and pecans to the side. Once I've got the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, I add those extra chocolate chips and pecans on top of the cookie dough balls! Then once the cookies come out of the oven, use a large biscuit cutter to scoot the cookies into the perfect round shape.
- I always recommend underbaking your cookies rather than overbaking them! The cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet once they come out of the oven, so they won't be raw in the middle. It just means that the middles will be extra soft, chewy and gooey! No dry cookies here!
- Roughly chop up the pecans so you have different sizes of the pecans, that way you get pecans in every bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think the brown butter pairs perfectly with the spices and the pecans, but if you really don't want to brown the butter or don't like brown butter then you can just melt the butter.
I do recommend chilling the cookie dough balls for 20-30 minutes, just to help them not spread so much in the oven! If you're short on time you can skip it, but just note that your cookies might not be as thick.
You may have added too much flour! Also when adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, it does take a minute or two of stirring for a dough to form. It will look dry and crumbly but keep mixing and it will come together.
Storage and Freezing
Keep the cooled chocolate chip pecan cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, place the baked cookies in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature before eating.
Try these cookies next!
Have you made this recipe? Please rate the recipe below! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @alpineella and Pinterest!
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a small saucepan 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 completely1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
- Add in the sugars, vanilla and salt to the butter mixture. Whisk to combine.1 cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add in the egg and egg yolk and whisk until smooth and glossy1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk
- Pour in the dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon and nutmeg) and use a rubber spatula to combine until there are no more streaks of flour.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, pinch cinnamon, pinch nutmeg
- Add in your chocolate and pecans, but keep a small handful of chocolate and pecans to the side.⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup pecans
- Scoop out the cookie dough using a 3 tablespoon ice cream scooper and place on a lined tray. Once finished, gently press the extra chocolate and pecan halves on top of the cookie dough balls – this will give you those puddles of chocolate! Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and line 3 baking trays with parchment paper
- Bake the cookies 6 at a time for 10-12 minutes.
Leave a Reply