I made these Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies because I wanted something a little more interesting than my usual chocolate chip cookies, but I didn’t want to turn them into an over-the-top dessert either.
The pecans ended up being exactly what they needed. They give the cookies a little crunch, the brown sugar keeps the centers chewy, and using both white and semi-sweet chocolate means you get a slightly different bite every time.
There’s also a teaspoon of cinnamon in the dough. It’s not enough to make these taste like cinnamon cookies. Most people probably wouldn’t even guess it’s there. It just gives the brown sugar and pecans a warmer flavor.
The one thing you need to know before starting is that the dough has to chill for at least three hours. I’ve rushed cookie dough before, and it usually ends with flat cookies spreading across the pan, so this is one recipe where I let the refrigerator do its job.
What makes these cookies so good
This dough starts with melted butter instead of softened butter. That gives the cookies a denser, chewier middle. Just let the butter cool before the eggs go in. It can still be liquid, but it shouldn’t be hot.
There’s more brown sugar than white sugar here, which helps the centers stay soft and gives the edges a deeper caramel flavor. One whole egg plus an extra yolk makes the dough richer without adding too much extra liquid.
I also use both all-purpose flour and cake flour. The regular flour gives the cookies structure, while the cake flour keeps them from feeling heavy.
Then comes the part I care about most: white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a full cup of chopped pecans. I like the pecans chopped fairly small, but not so fine that they disappear into the dough.
Making the cookie dough
Melt the butter first and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for a few minutes, then add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix for about four minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice so nothing collects at the bottom.
Add the whole egg first, mix it in, then add the yolk. In a small cup, stir the baking soda into the hot water until it dissolves. Pour that into the bowl with the vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in a few additions. As soon as the dry flour disappears, stop mixing.
I switch to a spatula for the chocolate chips and pecans. It takes another minute, but it’s easier to see whether everything is spread evenly through the dough, and there’s less chance of overmixing.
Scoop the dough before chilling
Scoop the dough while it’s still soft and place the portions on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the pan and refrigerate the dough for at least three hours. Overnight is completely fine too.
Doing the scooping before the chill saves a lot of effort later. Cold cookie dough gets quite firm, and I’d rather not fight with a scoop when I’m ready to bake.
The chill also matters for the final shape. The butter firms back up, so the cookies don’t spread too quickly when they hit the hot oven.
Bake until the edges are golden
Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the chilled dough portions about two inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. I start looking at them around the 10-minute mark rather than trusting the timer completely. The edges should be lightly golden, but the centers should still look a little soft.
That soft-looking center is important. If you wait until the entire cookie looks firm in the oven, the cookies can turn dry after they cool.
Leave them on the baking sheet for a few minutes. The heat from the pan will finish setting the middle. Then move the cookies to a wire rack.
The easiest ways to mess them up
Overbaking is the big one. These cookies can go from soft and chewy to dry faster than you’d expect, especially because they keep cooking for a few minutes after the tray leaves the oven.
The other mistake is skipping the refrigerator time. This dough has a lot of melted butter in it, so it needs that time to firm up before baking.
And if you’re baking several trays, don’t put cold dough onto a sheet pan that just came out of the oven. Let the pan cool first or use a second one.
Easy swaps
If white chocolate isn’t your thing, use another cup of semi-sweet chocolate instead. Dark chocolate works too. You can also use chopped chocolate bars if you want softer, uneven pockets of chocolate through the cookies.
Walnuts can replace the pecans, but I’d make the recipe with pecans at least once. Their buttery flavor fits the brown sugar and chocolate especially well. If you want the nut flavor to stand out more, toast the pecans first and let them cool before mixing them into the dough.
If you enjoy pecan desserts, you might also like my Butter Pecan Cookies or these Lazy Girl Pecan Pie Bars. For another chocolate-chip option, try the Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies.
A few questions before you bake
Can I chill the dough overnight?
Yes. I actually like making the dough the night before. Keep the scooped portions covered in the refrigerator and bake them cold the next day.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
The most likely causes are dough that wasn’t chilled long enough, butter that was still too warm when the eggs were added, or a hot baking sheet. Give the dough the full chill and start each batch on a cool pan.
Can I leave out the pecans?
Yes. The cookies will still bake properly without them. Replace the nuts with a few extra chocolate chips if you want to keep the cookies nice and full.
How do I know when they are done?
Look at the edges. Once they’re lightly golden and the centers still look a little underdone, take the tray out. The cookies will continue to set as they rest.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Melt the butter, pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer, and let it cool until it is no longer hot but is still liquid.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix for about 4 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Mix in the whole egg until combined, then add the egg yolk and mix again.
- Stir the baking soda into the hot water until dissolved. Add it to the butter mixture with the vanilla and mix briefly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in a few additions. Mix only until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and chopped pecans with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Arrange the chilled dough portions about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look a little soft.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
I usually save a few chocolate chips and press them into the tops right after the cookies come out of the oven. It doesn’t change the taste, but it makes a homemade batch look especially good. And if one disappears while the chocolate is still warm, I’m not judging.
