Let me just tell you, these Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are just what you need to make everything right in this world. They are nutty, chewy, tender, and so delicious! If you have not tried butter pecan cookies with browned butter instead, you have been missing out.
What Makes These Cookies So Good?
I love desserts that aren't overly sweet, and this is one of those. You can eat a cookie, or 2 (no judgement here), and not feel like you are headed for a sugar coma. It is just the right amount of sweetness.
The nutty flavor of the browned butter is really good with the pecans. I can say without hesitation I much prefer this version to the other I have been using for years with just regular butter.
Aside from the time it takes to brown the butter, this is a really simple cookie to make. You don't even need a mixer to do it. This can easily be made in a bowl with a rubber spatula or spoon.
You can make this dough ahead of time, it holds well in the fridge for at least 7 days. The baked cookies also hold well, for at least 4 days at room temp.
Ingredients
- Butter- I like to use salted butter in this recipe. If you don't have salted, no problem, I make adjustments in the recipe.
- Brown and Granulated Sugar- I like to use a blend of both.
- All-purpose flour- Unbleached is the one I use.
- Whole Wheat Pastry flour- I like to use a blend of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour in all my baked goods. For cookies, my go-to wheat flour is whole wheat pastry flour. It is a lower protein flour that lends itself to a really tender cookie. If you haven't tried it, I recommend it.
- Baking Soda- used for leavening.
- Vanilla- Pure vanilla.
- Eggs- Make sure these are large.
- Pecans- I used pecan pieces, but I guess you could use whole pecans if you prefer.
How To Brown Butter
The first step in making these cookies is to brown the butter. This isn't hard and doesn't take too much time, but there is a fine line between brown butter and burned butter, so let me show you how.
Lighter pans are so much easier to brown butter in. If you use a dark pan, you will never be able to see went the butter is golden.
Add your butter to the pan. Over medium heat, cook the butter until it melts, stirring occasionally. Once it has melted, I like to stir it constantly, but gently.
The butter will continue to cook and begin to foam. It will start to darken in color to a deep golden brown, then it will smell nutty. Once this happens, it is done!
Remove from heat immediately and pour into your bowl to cool slightly before making the cookies.
How To Make The Cookies
Now that the butter has cooled slightly, let's make cookies. Add the sugars to the butter and mix them well. This will help to cool the butter also.
Next, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix them to combine. Then add in the flour mixture and mix again to combine. Last up is the pecans. Once they are mixed in the batter is done.
Well, almost done. I like to chill for at least 3-4 hours. I promise you will get much better results if you do. I chilled mine overnight. If you do the same, just leave it at room temp for about an hour to soften it before scooping.
Scoop the cookies onto a baking sheet, giving them a little space to spread out. I used this medium cookie scoop to portion out mine.
I really like to portion my cookies with portion scoops not just because I am slightly anal, but when they are all the same size they bake more consistently and at the same time.
When they are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly or eat them warm. I promise they are really good either way!
Notes
You can toast the pecans before using them in the cookie dough, but I thought they were good just like they are!
This dough will hold well in the fridge for at least 7 days! You can also scoop the cookie dough into balls and freeze it. They will hold well in the freezer for at least a month. I like to freeze them in cookie balls, then store them in a ziplock bag.
I like to use salted butter in this recipe, but if you don't have that, add another ¼ teaspoon to the flour mix.
FAQ Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
It sure does. The flavor is completely different.
It doesn't take long- maybe 8-10 minutes at the most.
It should be a golden brown color. You might need to move the foam back to see. Also, a lighter pan is much easier to see it in. Don't use a cast iron, it will be impossible to check.
Other Cookie Recipes
- Dark Chocolate and Rye Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Cookies
- Dark Chocolate and Dried Cranberry Cookie
Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
Equipment
- pan
- Baking sheets
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks. I like to use salted.
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Start by browning your butter. Add the butter to your pan, I like to use stainless steel. Heat over medium heat. You will want to keep an eye on this as it can go from toasty to burned pretty quick.
- Stir gently and constantly. Once it melts all the way, it will start to foam after a few minutes. Continue to stir. It will change colors and become a deep golden brown. You will also smell a nutty smell from the butter. Mine still has the foam on top.
- As soon as it reaches this point, remove it from the heat quickly and pour it into a bowl. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then start with the rest.
- While it is cooling, mix your all-purpose flour, wheat flour, salt, cornstarch, and baking soda in a small bowl and set it aside.
- When the butter is ready, add in the sugars and mix well. This will also help to cool the butter. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Next, add in the flour mixture and only mix until it is all combined. Last up is the pecan pieces. Mix them to combine as well.
- Cover the top of the dough with saran wrap, I just leave it in the bowl. Move it to the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours. I prefer chilling at least overnight.
- If you have let it chill overnight, you will need to bring it out at room temperature for at least an hour to soften it slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scoop your cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. These cookies will spread a bit, so give them a few inches to do this.
- Place in the preheated oven. Bake until the edges are a golden brown, mine took right around 10 minutes, but plan on 10-13 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool a few minutes on the baking sheet.
- Then move them to a cooling rack. These cookies are delicious when they are hot, but also really good when they are cooled! Enjoy with a nice glass of cold milk!
- They will hold well in an airtight container at room temp for at least 3 days.
- Not, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it.