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Browned Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These bakery-style Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with toasted nuts and rich chocolate. The secret to their incredible depth of flavor is browning the butter first and letting the dough chill.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Cooling time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 33 minutes
Servings: 14 large cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 530
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

The Wet Mix

  • 230 grams unsalted butter browned and cooled
  • 200 grams dark brown sugar packed
  • 100 grams granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The Dry Mix

  • 325 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch the secret to chewy cookies!
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
The Mix-Ins
  • 150 grams pecans chopped and toasted
  • 250 grams semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Equipment

  • Light-colored saucepan (for browning butter)
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Whisk and rubber spatula
  • Fine Mesh Sieve (for sifting)
  • Baking sheets
  • Cookie Scoop (large)
  • Parchment Paper
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Skillet or frying pan (for toasting nuts)

Method
 

  1. 1. Toast the Pecans

    Place the chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast them, stirring frequently, until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color (about 3–5 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside to cool completely.

    2. Brown the Butter

    Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan constantly. The butter will foam and sizzle before eventually turning a deep amber color with a toasted, nutty aroma. Immediately pour the browned butter (including all the brown specks at the bottom) into a large heat-proof bowl. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

    3. Mix the Wet Ingredients

    To the cooled browned butter, add the dark brown sugar and white granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously until well combined and no lumps remain. Whisk in the room-temperature eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then stir in the vanilla extract.

    4. Combine the Dry Ingredients

    In a separate medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and fine sea salt.

    5. Form the Cookie Dough

    Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula. Stop mixing when there are just a few streaks of flour left. Fold in the toasted pecans and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. (Do not overmix!)

    6. Chill the Dough

    Scoop the dough into large, even balls and place them on a tray. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (Do not skip this step, or your cookies will spread and flatten in the oven!)

    7. Preheat and Prep

    When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

    8. Bake

    Place the chilled cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 5 cm (2 inches) of space between each cookie. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and golden brown, but the centers still look very soft and slightly underbaked.

    9. Cool and Serve

    Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!

Notes

  • Weighing Ingredients: For the absolute best, bakery-style results, use a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients in grams.
  • Make-Ahead: You can leave the scooped cookie dough balls in the fridge for up to 48 hours before baking. This actually deepens the toffee flavor!
  • Storage: Store leftover baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Warm in the microwave for 10 seconds to make them gooey again.
    Always let your browned butter cool for at least 10 minutes before adding your sugars and eggs to prevent the butter from melting the sugar or scrambling your eggs!