Description
These Butter Pecan Cookies are rich, buttery, and packed with toasted pecans that bring a delightful crunch and nutty flavor. Featuring browned butter for a deep, caramel-like aroma, these cookies are soft yet slightly crispy on the edges, making them an irresistible treat for cookie lovers.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Buttered Pecans:
- 1 and 1/4 cup pecan halves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Butter Pecan Cookies:
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted until browned
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 16 pecan halves, for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Buttered Pecans: Melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped pecan halves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until the pecans are lightly toasted and aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon baking soda until well combined. Set aside.
- Browning the Butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 sticks (8 ounces) of unsalted butter. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and pops, then turns a rich amber color with brown bits forming on the bottom and emits a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add Sugars and Vanilla: To the browned butter, add 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed) and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Whisk thoroughly until combined. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Incorporate Eggs: Beat in 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Then fold in the toasted buttered pecans prepared earlier.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 4 hours to firm up and enhance flavor.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop and Shape Cookies: Use a large cookie scoop to portion 3-tablespoon sized balls of dough and place them on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Firmly press one pecan half onto the top of each dough ball for decoration.
- Bake: Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes. If any cookie edges spread too far, gently push them back in with a spatula immediately after removing from the oven.
- Finish and Cool: While still warm, sprinkle the cookies lightly with granulated sugar. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Be sure to watch the butter closely when browning; it can burn quickly once it starts to foam.
- Refrigerating the dough is crucial for texture and flavor development, so don’t skip this step.
- Toasting the pecans in butter enhances their flavor, but you can toast them dry if preferred.
- If you prefer smaller cookies, reduce baking time slightly and adjust dough portion size.
- You can store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze dough balls for future baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
