Brown butter pecan cookies are a warm, buttery cookie with lots of sweet toasty pecans. The flavors together literally melt in your mouth.
These brown butter pecan cookies have the best nutty flavor from browning the butter and toasting the pecans in extra butter, and then just a hint of cinnamon adds even more flavor to the dough. These are such a great warm and cozy fall and winter cookie.
For more brown butter cookie recipes try my brown butter butterscotch chocolate chips cookies, brown butter sugar cookies, or my brown butter chocolate chip cookies.
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Why You Will Love These Cookies
- CRISPY & CHEWY- These cookies have the perfect crisp buttery edges with a gooey, chewy middle.
- BROWNED BUTTER- When you brown the butter you get a nutty flavor, which is perfect paired with the toasted pecans.
- BUTTERED PECANS- Toasting the pecans in a bit of butter makes the flavor so good.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: You will be browning the butter and letting it cool just slightly.
- Pecans: Toasting the pecans in a bit of extra butter adds so much extra flavor.
- Eggs: You will use one egg and one yolk.
- Flour: Weigh your flour if you have the option, but if not, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup so you don't compact it.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Start by browning the butter. You'll take 14 tablespoons of butter, (using the other 2 tablespoons from the stick to toast the pecans), and melt in a medium saucepan, and then continue to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour into a cup or bowl and allow to cool slightly while you toast the pecans.
Step 2: Place 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of chopped pecans in a small sauce pan and toast over low-medium heat for 5-8 minutes until nice and toasty. Set aside to cool while preparing the cookie dough.
Step 3: Place browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg, yolk and vanilla, mix until smooth on low speed, about 30 seconds.
Step 4: Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and mix until combined. Fold in the cooled pecan pieces. Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop for these. Refrigerate the dough for 2-24 hours.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 6: Place 6-8 cookie balls on your baking sheet and sprinkle with flaked salt and an extra pecan if wanted. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You're looking for a light golden brown outside rim. Sprinkle with more salt if you like.
Expert Baking Tips
- You can also toast your pecans in the oven at 350 for 5-7 minutes if you prefer.
- Adding 1 cup of chocolate chips would be a great addition.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Although you don't have to refrigerate, because you are using a melted butter the cookies will spread more. Chilling the dough before will help them keep their shape.
It usually takes about 10 minutes to brown the butter.
When cookie dough is frozen I haven't found that I needed to add more than a minute extra to my baking time. I set my timer for the same amount of time, and maybe cook just a bit longer if needed.
Storing & Freezing
Brown butter pecan cookies will remain fresh if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also prep the cookie dough in advance and store it in the fridge for about a week.
You can freeze your cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 months with them remaining fresh. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls if you would like to bake them one at a time.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoon salted butter browned
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup pecans chopped small
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- flaked salt for topping
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter. You'll take 14 tablespoons of butter, (using the other 2 tablespoons from the stick to toast the pecans), and melt in a medium saucepan, and then continue to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour into a cup or bowl and allow to cool slightly while you toast the pecans.
- Place 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of chopped pecans in a small sauce pan and toast over low-medium heat for 5-8 minutes until nice and toasty. Set aside to cool while preparing the cookie dough.
- Place browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add egg, yolk and vanilla, mix until smooth on low speed, about 30 seconds.
- Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and mix until combined. Fold in the cooled pecan pieces. Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop for these. Refrigerate the dough for 2-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place 6-8 cookie balls on your baking sheet and sprinkle with flaked salt and an extra pecan if wanted. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You're looking for a light golden brown outside rim. Sprinkle with more salt if you like.
Jordan
These cookies will be a new November staple for me!! Brought these to a couple of different events and they were a hit every time. So good!!
Brooke Homec
Thank you so much!!!
Lola O’Mallan
So incredibly good! House favorite so I will be making these a lot!
Angie
Sooo good!!