Made with butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and heaps of toasted butter pecans, these chewy and soft Butter Pecan cookies are practically bursting with decadent flavor! Plus, they’re quick and easy to make with no browning or chilling required.
It’s finally cookie season. And y’all, today I have got the BEST cookie recipe to share! These thick, chewy, buttery, nutty, decadent Butter Pecan Cookies are truly cookie perfection. My tastebuds are actually watering just thinking about how delicious these cookies are…well, I should say how delicious these cookies were because they did not last long in my house.
If you like the taste of butter pecan ice cream, then you are going to LOVE these homemade butter pecan cookies! And I am not exaggerating. These cookies are a-maz -ing!
And believe it or not, they taste even better the second day!
Try these other wonderful and easy cookie recipes too! Eggnog Gooey Butter Cookies, Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies, or these Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.
SOFT AND CHEWY BUTTER PECAN COOKIES RECIPE
This butter pecan cookies recipe was a labor of love. It took me three tries before I was finally thrilled with the way they turned out, and I think, no I know, that you will be too!
The recipe is actually pretty quick and easy to make. It doesn’t call for any special ingredients or cooking methods, either. There’s no browning of butter or chilling of dough, yet the cookies still turn out thick and soft, crispy around the edges, delightfully chewy in the center, and the occasional crunch of buttery toasted pecans.
Words simply do not do these salty-sweet butter pecan cookies justice. Seriously, you just need to try them.
So, let’s get to it!
CAN I USE RAW PECANS IN COOKIE RECIPE?
Well, yes, you could use raw pecans in cookie recipes, but you really don’t want to. Trust me. It’s the toasty, buttery, nutty flavor of these pecans that really makes these cookies (and other nut-filled cookies) shine!
If you’ve never toasted pecans before adding them to a recipe, you are missing out. Toasting nuts draws the natural oils to the surface, which intensifies their rich nutty flavor, creates a deeper color, and makes them even crunchier.
HOW TO MAKE BUTTER PECAN COOKIES
This classic Southern Butter Pecan Cookies recipe yields 20 to 25 melt-in-your-mouth cookies that are absolutely perfect for holiday gifting or for enjoying all by yourself!
With their layers of complex flavors, these one of the best homemade cookies you’ll have this year!
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and instructions in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links for products or services I think you’ll like. This means if you make a purchase from one of these links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, I only recommend products that I use and love.
KITCHEN TOOLS YOU MAY NEED
- baking sheet
- Silpat mat or parchment paper
- mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
- microwave safe bowl – to melt butter
- spatula
- cookie scoop – I used a 1½ tbsp scoop
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- whisk
- Egg separator – optional, but it makes it SO easy to separate the yolk
EASY COOKIES RECIPE INGREDIENTS
These cookies are made using a combination of the following simple ingredients:
- Butter
- Dark brown sugar – tightly packed
- Large egg and 1 egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Corn Starch
- Salt
- Pecan halves
TIPS FOR MAKING SOFT COOKIES
These cookies are pretty simple to make, but I do have a few tips to share with you to ensure they come out perfectly.
- Toast the pecans before chopping them. This will ensure they toast evenly without any burned or underdone pieces. Just make sure you let them cool before chopping them!
- For this recipe, you are going to melt the butter before adding the sugars. Make sure you let the melted butter cool for at least 10 minutes before adding the sugars. If it is too hot, it will end up melting the sugar resulting in runny cookie dough.
- Use the eggs at room temperature.
- Carefully measure the flour using a spoon to gently spoon flour into a measuring cup to the very top, and then level it off with the flat side of a butter knife.
- Do not bake cookies until they are completely done. Instead, remove them from oven while the centers still appear slightly undone. Cookies will continue to bake as they cool, leaving you with perfectly soft and chewy centers.
COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS
These homemade cookies will come together in a just a few simple steps, and they’re ready in under 1 hour!
STEP ONE: PREPARE PECANS
- Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the pecan halves evenly over cookie sheet.
- Place a few thin pats of butter on top of the pecans.
- Place in the oven and bake on 350F (175C) for about 5 minutes.
- Remove pecans from oven (leave the oven on) and let cool a bit before chopping into smaller pieces.
- Set aside while you prepare your cookie dough.
STEP TWO: COMBINE MELTED BUTTER AND SUGARS
- In a small bowl, melt the butter then set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Then, once the butter has cooled, in a large bowl, combine the melted butter and both sugars. Stir well.
STEP THREE: ADD IN EGGS AND VANILLA
- Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.
STEP FOUR: MIX TOGETHER DRY INGREDIENTS
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch.
STEP FIVE: COMBINE WET WITH DRY
- Slowly add the flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
STEP SIX: ADD PECANS
- Using a spatula, fold in the pecan pieces a bit at a time until completely combined.
STEP SEVEN: SCOOP INTO BALLS
- Line your cookie sheets with either Silpat mats or parchment paper and drop the cookie dough by large 1½ Tablespoon-fulls onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing at least 2″ apart.
- Tip: if you want slightly larger cookies, gently smush the butter pecan cookie dough ball semi-flat between your hands before placing it on the cookie sheet to bake.
STEP EIGHT: BAKE
- Place cookies in oven and bake for 9-12 minutes.
- Remember, the cookies should still look soft/slightly under-done in the middles. They will continue to bake as they cool.
STEP NINE: ADD PECAN TO TOPS (OPTIONAL)
- If you want, at this point you can gently press a whole pecan into the top of each cookie. Be careful not to press too hard or burn your fingers.
STEP TEN: COOL
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet and the cookies will continue to bake a bit as they cool. You can then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
HOW TO STORE COOKIES
Once baked, these delicious butter pecan cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
CAN I FREEZE THESE COOKIES?
Yes, you can also freeze the baked cookies. Just be sure that they are completely cooled before placing them in an airtight plastic container (be sure to label with the name and date). Place a piece of parchment or wax paper between each layer.
Once frozen, the cookies can last for months if they are kept in the freezer in an airtight container. However, I found they taste best if eaten within 2 to 3 weeks.
To serve, let the cookies completely defrost. Once completely thawed, you can place them in the microwave for a few seconds for a bit of warmth.
TRIED IT? LOVED IT? PLEASE SHARE IT!
Be sure to let me know if you like this cookie recipe! And if you make it, take a picture and tag me. I’d love to see it!
Let me know on Pinterest or Instagram and tag me with #BullocksBuzz on your Instagram photo! Or leave a comment below.
Lastly, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating on the free printable recipe card below!
MORE COOOKIE RECIPES
Looking for some more tasty cookie recipes? Give these a try!
- Kitcken Sink Christmas Cookies
- Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
- Tie Dye Mickey Mouse Cookies
Butter Pecan Cookies: Best-Ever Southern Butter Pecan Cookie Recipe
Made with butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and heaps of toasted butter pecans, these soft and chewy Butter Pecan cookies are practically bursting with decadent flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ large cups pecan halves
- ½ Tbsp unsalted butter pats - for pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled at least 10 minutes*)
- 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar, tightly packed
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour**
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the pecan halves evenly over cookie sheet, and top with a few thin pats of butter.
- Place in the oven and bake on 350F (175C) for about 5 minutes. Remove pecans from oven (leave the oven on) and let cool a bit before chopping into smaller pieces. Set aside while you prepare the cookie dough.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter then set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes*.
- Once the butter has cooled, combine the melted butter and both sugars in a large bowl. Stir well.
- Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
- Fold the pecans into the cookie dough.
- Line your cookie sheets with either Siplat mats or parchment paper and drop the cookie dough by large 1 ½ Tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing at least 2" apart.
- Place in oven and bake for 9 - 12 minutes before removing. The cookies should still look soft/slightly under-done in the middles.
- If desired, gently press a whole pecan into the top of each cookie. Be careful not to press too hard or burn your fingers.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet. They will continue to cook as they cool.
Notes
*Do not add the butter to the sugars while it is still hot. If you do, the dough will be too runny.
**Be sure to measure out the flour correctly as too much will make the dough too dry. Do this by using a spoon to fill the measuring cup, then use the flat side of a knife to level the flour.
Tip: if you want slightly larger cookies, gently smush the butter pecan cookie dough ball semi-flat between your hands before placing it on the cookie sheet to bake.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 224Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 148mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
All nutritional information is automatically calculated with ingredients and serving size and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household. Please always double check with your own nutritional apps as well.