Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
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I can’t express how obsessed I am with these Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies They’re a decadent twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie but instead nutty caramelized butter, dark brown sugar, and toasted pecans create a slightly crisp yet chewy cookie that exudes a caramel-like depth of flavor and aroma. They’re insanely delicious.
I seriously cannot wait for you to make these brown butter chocolate chip cookies – they’re THAT good. The edges are crispy, the center is chewy, tons of chocolate and toasted pecans are bursting throughout each cookie creating a cookie that has all the right textures. Not to mention, they’re salty, sweet and have the most wonderful caramel butter flavor. The star of the show is the brown butter as it offers an aroma and flavor unlike your typical chocolate chip cookie.
What is brown butter?
Brown butter is a simple yet flavorful ingredient made by cooking butter until the milk solids in it caramelize. The process is quick and creates a buttery, rich aroma and adds a deep, toasty flavor to dishes. Here’s a quick how to brown butter guide for reference. Brown butter can be used in sweet and savory dishes – see my Fudge Brownies and Pumpkin Ravioli.
How do you make brown butter?
It’s simple! Place butter in a light colored sauté pan or sauce pan and place it over medium heat. Using a light colored pan is important so you can see the butter browning. If you use a black pan, it will be difficult to know when the butter is actually browning and it can burn very quickly. Stir and watch it until you start to see brown specks form in the bottom of the pan. Once the specks form, remove the pan from the heat to prevent the milk solids from burning and pour into a bowl to cool. The milk solids will stick to the edge of the pan so use a spatula to scrape off as much as possible – these caramelized milk solids are literally gold!
Ingredients for Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Butter: Of course butter is used in this recipe! I use 2 sticks, 16 tablespoons, but I only brown 10 tablespoons. The reason for this is as the butter is browning, the water in the butter evaporates so to add that water back into the brown butter, I add the additional 6 tablespoons after the butter has browned.
- Dark brown sugar: I prefer dark brown sugar over light brown sugar because it has a deeper flavor and more molasses. It just works really well in this particular recipe.
- Pure vanilla extract: I use quite a bit of vanilla in this recipe because again, the flavor profile can handle it and the vanilla adds so much warmth and aroma.
- Egg and egg yolk: I use one large egg and one large egg yolk. The egg yolk helps give the cookie a nice chewy center.
- All purpose flour: All purpose flour is preferred in this recipe due to its structure for cookies. Gluten Free flour could also be used.
- Baking soda: Baking soda is the leveling agent that helps these cookies rise. I didn’t want the cookie to puff up too much. I wanted it to stay crisp and chewy. Baking soda helps achieve this!
- Salt: Lots of salt in these cookies! The salty flavor with the chocolate, brown butter and pecans is insane!
- Toasted pecans: These are optional, but they do provide a great crunch along with a toasty flavor that compliments the brown butter.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks: They’re not too sweet and not too bitter.
- 70% cocoa chocolate bar: I not only wanted these cookies to taste great, but to also look great. Chopping chocolate and adding it to the dough helps get wonderful puddles of chocolate throughout the cookie.
Instructions:
Brown butter pecan chocolate chip cookies are not difficult to make. They require some time, but the mixing of the ingredients is very similar to any other chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Why does the dough have to chill?
There are a few reasons why this step is important. One being that it allows the butter to resolidfy so the cookies don’t spread too much while baking. Chilling any cookie dough helps develop flavor and in this case there’s a lot of delicious ingredients that need time to come together.
When you’re ready to bake, remove the cookies from the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking – this will help ensure the cookies spread nicely.
Storage and freezing instructions:
Store the cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature. After 4 days, they will start to dry out a bit. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months – you can actually enjoy them frozen as well! You can freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 3 months as well. When you are ready to bake, remove from the freezer and let thaw for 30-60 minutes at room temperature to take the chill off.
Helpful tools and products:
I have several baking supplies that I find to be very helpful when I’m baking – they save time, help prevent mistakes and are easy to use!
Silicone baking mats: I love using my silicone baking mats. They’re non-stick and so easy to clean. They help save paper, too!
Parchment paper: If you don’t have silicone baking mats, precut parchment paper is very useful for baking! It’s non-stick and clean up is a breeze.
Cookie dough scoops: I use my cookie dough scoops all the time. They’re useful for scooping ice cream and measuring muffin batter as well!
KitchenAid Mixer: This is a no brainer. I use my mixer all the time. I prefer it over a hand-mixer, but that’s just my preference! There’s no right or wrong.
Measuring cups: All-Clad Stainless Steel Measuring Cups are a must! I don’t like using plastic and I love that they’re sturdy and don’t fall over.
Measuring spoons: Stainless steel measuring spoons are also a must! They’re sturdy, look nice and clean well. I love how they have two different shapes to make measuring very easy.
KitchenAid Oven Mitt Set: I just bought these and I LOVE them. They’re so easy to clean and they help grip pans really well.
Tips for Success:
- Always read the recipe in its entirety before starting – this helps prevent mistakes.
- Always get out all of the ingredients and prep them before starting – this helps prevent mistakes, reduces messes and makes clean up easier.
- Chill the cookie dough!
- Measure the cookie dough evenly so the cookies bake evenly.
- Watch the brown butter carefully to prevent burning.
- Mix the butter with the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla really well. This step is important because it adds air into the dough which helps it spread correctly. See the instructions above for a visual.
- When in doubt underbake the cookies. Mine took 12 minutes exactly. I would start checking them at 10 minutes. All ovens vary in temperature and cooking time. The center should look pale still – they will continue to bake and set as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Save some of the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate to add to the top before baking. This isn’t necessary but creates a good looking cookie!
And there you have it, everything you need to know about Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me by leaving a comment. I hope you enjoy them!
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
I can't express how obsessed I am with these Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies. They're a decadent twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie. Nutty caramelized butter, dark brown sugar, and toasted pecans create a slightly crisp yet chewy cookie that exudes a caramel-like depth of flavor and aroma.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, sliced and divided (see instructions)
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar (light would work, too)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse Kosher salt)
- 4.4 once 70% cocoa chocolate bar (cut up)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (I used chunks)
- 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- First brown the butter because it has to cool. Take 10 tablespoons of butter and add it to a stainless steel or light colored sauce pan or sauté pan. It will be difficult to see the butter browning if a black or dark pan is used. To brown the butter, place the plan over medium heat and whisk often. The butter will melt, then sizzle and foam, and then start to brown. You will notice a nutty aroma and dark brown spots forming on the bottom of the pan. This will take anywhere from 3-5 minutes. Once you see the brown specks, remove the pan from the burner. Whisk in the other 6 tablespoons of butter then set aside to cool.
- While the butter is cooling, prepare the rest of the ingredients - measure, chop, etc. Stir the dry ingredients in a medium bowl - flour, baking soda, and salt. Mixing the dry ingredients together before adding them ensures that they incorporate evenly.
- To toast pecans, add them to a non-stick sauté pan or skillet and place over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat to cool.
- Add the cooled butter (doesn't need to be cold, but cool enough to touch), to a stand-alone mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (hand-held mixer works, too) along with the brown sugar and whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and continue to whisk on medium speed for 1 minute, stop to scrape down sides of bowl, and whisk on medium speed for an additional minute. The mixture will be light in color and look fluffy/silky.
- With mixer on low-speed, slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the toasted pecans, chopped chocolate, and chocoalte chips and mix by hand.
- Measure 3 tablespoons of dough (a cookie dough scoop is helpful for this) and place on a cookie sheet. Cover and refrigerate the cookie dough balls for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When you're ready to bake, remove the cookie dough from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
- Place 6 cookie dough balls on the baking sheet, sprinkle with coarse or flaky salkt if desired and bake for 10-12 minutes (mine took 12). Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Cookie dough and baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Enjoy baked cookies frozen or thawed. You can bake the cookies frozen, but they may not spread as much and may take an additional minute or two. You can also let them rest on the counter for 30-60 minutes to take the chill off before baking.
Cookies will last at room temperature in an airtight container for 4 days.
Do not skip the chillng time - since brown butter was used, it's important for the butter to set. Chilling also makes the cookies more flavorful as it gives time for all the ingredients to "marinate."
If you measure less than 3 tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie, the cookies may not take as long to bake so keep an eye on them. When in doubt underbake.
What do you do with the other 6T f butter?
Hi Kathy! Add it to the browned butter – I updated the recipe to reflect this step!