Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gooey bites of chocolate and crunchy pecans wrapped in a crisp, buttery bite. These pecan chocolate chip cookies are the cookie flavor you didn’t know you needed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans finely chopped or processed
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Prepare the pecans: In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat, let cool, and coarsely chop. Set aside.
- Prepare the wet mixture: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, the egg, additional yolk, vanilla extract, with the granulated and brown sugars. Stir until well incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Stir just until no dry spots remain, being careful not to overmix.
- Add the nuts and chocolate: Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours until firm. This step helps enhance flavor and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Form the cookies: Use a #20 cookie scoop (about golf-ball size) to shape dough balls, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave space between each.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are golden, and the centers are still slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Garnish (optional): Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on the cookies while they’re still warm to enhance the flavor.
Notes
- Extended chilling time: If possible, chill the dough for longer than 3 hours (up to 24 hours) to develop a deeper flavor and even better texture.
- Butter temperature: Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing it with the sugars to avoid cooking the egg.
- Careful mixing: Avoid overmixing once the flour is added; this helps keep the cookies tender.
- Shape reinforcement: For thicker cookies, chill the dough balls for an additional 10 minutes before baking.
- Extra chocolate and pecans: Press a few extra chocolate chips and pecan pieces on top of each dough ball before baking for a more appealing look.
- Adjusting shape post-bake: If the cookies lose shape in the oven, use a spatula to round them out immediately after baking.
- Cool on a wire rack: Let cookies cool fully on a wire rack for the perfect texture—crisp on the outside and soft in the center.
- Proper storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. For softer cookies, add a slice of bread to the container to retain moisture.
- Freezing the dough: You can freeze individual dough balls and bake directly from frozen. Just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 5377kcalCarbohydrates: 622gProtein: 55gFat: 307gSaturated Fat: 151gPolyunsaturated Fat: 31gMonounsaturated Fat: 92gTrans Fat: 7gCholesterol: 846mgSodium: 3828mgPotassium: 1456mgFiber: 19gSugar: 340gVitamin A: 6225IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 414mgIron: 21mg
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