Browned Butter Pecan Cookies
Browned Butter Pecan Cookies are packed with buttered pecans, nutty browned butter, and caramely brown sugar – with crisp edges and rich, chewy centers. If a pecan praline were to turn itself into a cookie, this is exactly what it would taste like!
Tips on baking perfect butter pecan cookies
Do you ever have trouble with your cookies spreading out too far or not far enough? The temperature of the dough and the temperature of the oven plays a role it this.
How the temperature of the cookie dough effects the spread of the cookie
Flat, too spread out cookies: Cookie dough that is too warm and hasn’t been chilled long enough will spread out too far making a flat cookie. The butter in the cookie melts before the cookie has a chance to set. A lower oven temperature also allows the dough to spread out.
Puffy mounds that didn’t spread out: Cookie dough that is too cold will set before it has a chance to spread out resulting in a puffy mound. A too hot oven also causes the cookie to set quickly.
Optional decorating ideas
- For a pretty, sparkly look, roll the balls of dough in granulated sugar before baking.
- For a salty sweet flavor, instead of rolling in sugar, sprinkle the cookies with sea salt after baking. If sprinkling with sea salt, reduce the salt in the cookie to ½ teaspoon.
- Press a pecan half or chopped pecans onto the top of the unbaked ball of dough before baking.
- For these cookies, I rolled the dough into a ball, pressed chopped pecans into the top half of the ball, gave it another roll between my palms, rolled it in sugar, then pressed a pecan half into the top.
Components
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Butter Pecans
Ingredients
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230g unsalted butter
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100g white sugar
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200g brown sugar
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2 large eggs at room temperature
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1 tbsp vanilla
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1 tsp baking soda
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1 tsp salt
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290g white flour
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2 tbsp cornstarch
Directions
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Brown the butter: Heat the butter in a light colored skillet over medium-high heat. It will come to a boil. - Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the solid particles at the bottom turn golden brown. Keep an eye - on it carefully towards the end, it can burn quickly. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl to stop the - browning. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
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Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
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Whisk sugars into cooled browned butter. Whisk in vanilla and eggs until thoroughly combined.
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Pour dry ingredients into bowl and stir until no streaks of flour remain.
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Stir in buttered pecans.
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Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic down on the surface of the dough. Chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. If you chill longer than 3 hours, let dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so the dough is easier to scoop.
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Preheat the oven to 175° C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Roll dough into balls, about 3 tablespoons each (60g) . Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. For optional decoration see notes.
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Bake on the middle rack until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden brown, about 9-12 minutes. The tops of the cookies should still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven, and may even appear slightly underbaked in center. They will firm up while cooling.
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Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
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Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Butter Pecans
Ingredients
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185g chopped pecans
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2 tbsp butter
Steps
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Sauté the chopped pecans and butter in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant and toasted, about 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently and keep an eye on the small crumbs, they will brown quicker than the bigger pieces. Set aside to cool.
Category: Baking