Brown Butter Pecan Cookies (Printable)

Crisp-edged, chewy cookies featuring nutty brown butter and toasted pecans for caramel-rich flavor.

# Components:

→ Cookies

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - ½ cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
06 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - 1 cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

# Method:

01 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; swirl occasionally. Continue cooking until butter foams, develops deep golden color, and emits a nutty aroma, approximately 5–7 minutes. Immediately transfer browned butter to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
03 - Add packed light brown sugar and granulated sugar to cooled browned butter. Whisk thoroughly until mixture is combined and achieves a lightly creamy texture.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in pure vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry mixture to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
06 - Gently fold in toasted and coarsely chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 15–20 minutes; chilling overnight yields a thicker cookie.
08 - Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 10–12 minutes or until edges are golden and centers appear just set.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer gently to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Uses simple pantry ingredients you likely already have
  • Big, warm flavors with minimal effort
  • Ready in under an hour start to finish
  • Texture is perfectly chewy in the center with irresistible crispy edges
  • Toasting pecans and browning butter give gourmet results without complicated steps
  • The smell alone makes your kitchen feel like a bakery
02 -
  • High in flavor thanks to browning the butter
  • Cookies freeze beautifully both as dough and after baking
  • A little sprinkle of flaky salt right before baking makes them unforgettable
03 -
  • For even baking use a cookie scoop and rotate pans halfway through
  • Never skip chilling the dough for thick chewy centers
  • Brown the butter slowly and watch for the nutty aroma to know it is ready
  • If you want picture-perfect cookies reserve a few pecans to press onto each mound of dough before baking
  • Always let them cool a few minutes before moving so the centers set up just right

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