Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies
With a decadent buttery flavor and lots of toasted nutty crunch, these brown sugar pecan cookies are perfect for Holiday cravings. Made with only nine pantry staples, these pecan cookies can be dressed up for any party or simply enjoyed after a family dinner.
Crunchy and sweet these brown sugar pecan cookies are hard to resist! The cookies can be made soft or crispy depending on your preference and even into bite-sized treats for kids. They’re a cookie that packs in a lot of flavor with minimal ingredients.
Since the pecans are toasted before they’re mixed, the taste of the cookies is a sweet and nutty blend. Couple that with a classic, buttery base, and these brown sugar cookies almost melt in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Preparation time:
Toasting Pecans: 5-7 minutes
Mixing and Dough Prep: 10 minutes
Chilling Dough: At least 3 hours (or overnight)
Baking: 15 minutes
Total time (excluding chilling): approximately 25-30 minutes
Yield: 16 large cookies
Directions
1. Toast the Pecans: In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until golden and aromatic. Remove from heat, let cool, and then chop finely with a knife or in a food processor.
2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add Eggs: Add the eggs, beating well for about 1 minute until fully combined.
4. Add Dry Ingredients and Pecans: Sift in the flour, finely chopped nuts, baking soda, and salt, and mix just until combined.
5. Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight if possible. This resting time is essential for better texture and flavor.
6. Form and Decorate the Cookies: Using a #20 cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie), form dough balls. Place a whole pecan on top of each ball for decoration.
7. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
8. Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations and Substitutions
Frosting: To amp up the indulgence of these pecan cookies, you can top them with a maple glaze or traditional brown sugar frosting. Even a drizzle of salted caramel would be great.
Chocolate: Add a hint of cocoa powder to the cookie base or swirl in some mini regular or white chocolate chips for gooey bites.
Extracts: Play with the flavor of the cookies by adding in fun extracts. Almond extract brings extra nuttiness, whereas bourbon extract brings a bite of comfort. If you’re making the cookies in the warmer months, lemon or orange extract can brighten them up.
Spices: Sprinkling in some cinnamon, nutmeg, or even pumpkin pie spice is a delicious variation throughout the autumn months.
Nuts: Try using toasted pistachios or hazelnuts to change the richness of the cookies.
Toppings: Dusting some brown sugar on top of the cookies before baking them gives them a crunchy and sweet taste. Or you could top the cookies with bits of toffee or classic sprinkles.
How To Make the Best Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies
Don’t skip toasting the pecans as it really maximizes the flavor of the cookies. However, take care not to burn them, and make sure to let them cool down before you mix them into the dough so that they don’t affect the texture.
Do not overmix the dough or the cookies won’t come out as soft. Instead, mix the ingredients until they are combined.
You can make these pecan cookies a day in advance and let the dough chill overnight. Not only does this make the process easier but it also gives some extra time for the flavors to really come together.
In order for the cookies to bake evenly, you need to make sure they’re uniform in size. Use a size 20 cookie scoop for the best results. If you plan on making smaller cookies, reduce the cooking time by 10-12 minutes.
Keep an eye on the cookies at the last minute of baking. You want them slightly golden but still soft in the center. If you prefer crispier cookies, bake them for 2-3 minutes longer, and know they’ll firm up even more while cooling.
Store the brown sugar pecan cookies once cooled in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Of course, you can freeze baked cookies as well by separating layers between parchment paper and storing them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months.
Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Toast the Pecans: In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until golden and aromatic. Remove from heat, let cool, and then chop finely with a knife or in a food processor.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs, beating well for about 1 minute until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Pecans: Sift in the flour,finely chopped nuts, baking soda, and salt, and mix just until combined.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight if possible. This resting time is essential for better texture and flavor.
- Form and Decorate the Cookies: Using a #20 cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie), form dough balls. Place a whole pecan on top of each ball for decoration.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Toasting Pecans: Toasting the pecans intensifies their flavor, enhancing the cookie’s nutty taste. Be sure to let them cool before adding to the dough to avoid melting the butter.
- Dough Resting: Chilling the dough for several hours or overnight improves texture and allows the flavors to develop fully.
- Uniform Size: Use a #20 cookie scoop to make sure all cookies are the same size, helping them bake evenly.
- Pecan Texture: Chop the pecans finely but not into powder; this way, they are evenly distributed, ensuring a balanced flavor and texture.
- Batch Baking: If you prefer smaller cookies, make smaller dough balls and reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes.
- Extra Decoration: Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of the cookies before baking for a crunchy, sweet touch.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.
- Texture Adjustment: For a crispier cookie, bake for an additional 2-3 minutes, checking that the edges don’t burn.
- Avoid Overmixing: When adding the flour, mix only until just combined to keep the cookies tender.
