Butter Pecan Cookies are next-level delicious. If you like this flavor in your ice cream and desserts, prepare to be blown away. The brown butter gives the dough a complex, caramel-like flavor. We don’t just toss pecans in there— we toast them first in some sugar, pure vanilla, and more butter.
The cookies themselves are irresistibly chewy and tender with beautifully crisp edges.
This recipe does require chilling, but I promise you the wait time is worth it. You end up with melt-in-your-mouth cookies bursting with a buttery flavor and toasted pecans in every bite. These Butter Pecan Cookies are what dessert dreams are made of!
What does butter pecan mean?
It’s a very popular flavor for ice cream, cakes, and other desserts, especially in the US. It tastes very buttery with notes of vanilla and chopped or whole pecans.
How do you make butter pecan cookies from scratch?
- Toast the pecans. Sauté the brown sugar, pecans, and butter until toasted and golden. Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla.
- Make dough. Brown the butter by heating it until it turns golden, then allow it to slightly cool in a large bowl. Into this, briskly whisk the sugars, eggs plus extra yolk, and extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir only until there are no more dry spots. Stir in the toasted pecans. Chill for a minimum of 3 hrs. and as long as 3 days.
- Bake. Roll into 60g (3tbsp balls), then arrange in the baking sheet with gaps in between each ball. Bake in a 350F oven for about 9 to 12 mins. Remove while still looking underbaked in the middle. Cool on the sheet for 5 mins, then finish cooling on a rack.
- Serve. Enjoy warm with cold milk, coffee or tea, or some vanilla ice cream on top!
