Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Give your favorite cookie a nutty upgrade with this recipe for Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies. Soft, chewy and crunchy in every bite, these brown butter cookies are a trifecta of textures.

I’m the kind of girl who loves food more than expensive gifts. Not that there’s much of a difference these days. Bottlenecks at shipping ports are making the contents of shopping carts pricier than a little blue box from Tiffany’s.

Yes, good things come in small packages until Thanksgiving when good things come in big turkey-sized packages. But if you want a fresh turkey on your table this year prepare for the sticker shock to jolt you like the electric chair. I nearly went into convulsions when I saw Whole Foods selling 20-pound turkeys for $70 bucks a pop.

Sure, they are organic turkeys but I can go two aisles over and buy 10-pounds of organic turkey, potatoes and carrots for $35. Plus, it’s already cooked and proportioned into individual servings. It’s a great deal if you don’t mind your dinner coming in the form of canned dog food.

I’m not desperate enough to eat pilgrim-inspired pet food, thanks in part to the frozen Butterball I found for $0.99 a pound. Pinching pennies on turkey means there’s plenty of cash left to stock up on pecans. And at the end of the day, having enough pecans to make cookies is the only thing that matters.

Just a warning that this Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie recipe will ruin you for all others. It starts with brown butter and brown sugar and ends with hints of cinnamon and vanilla for a caramelly finish. It’s soft and chewy yet crispy around the edges with puddles of melty chocolate chips and the nutty crunch of pecans. So have your turkey and stuffing then stuff yourself with these oh-so-perfect cookies.

Before sharing the recipe for Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies, here are a few tips and tricks to help you out:

Always use the spoon and level method to measure flour. Scooping flour is a no-no. That technique overpacks flour into the measuring cup which will result in dry, dense cookies.

Eggs need to be at room temperature before beginning. If you’ve forgotten to take yours out of the refrigerator ahead of time then speed up the process by placing it in a bowl of warm water. Don’t use hot water; we want to warm the eggs, not hatch them.

Browned butter takes approximately seven minutes from the time the butter initially melts until completion. If you’ve never browned butter before, it is simple. First, melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Next, stir constantly with a wooden spoon, taking care not get distracted. (There’s a fine line between browned butter and burned butter. Do not cross that line or you will be buying a new saucepan.) The butter will get foamy and release a nutty aroma. After that happens, you will begin seeing browned bits forming on the bottom. Right after that, remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool.

Chilling dough for a minimum of 4 hours is mandatory, therefore, do not skip this step! I prepare mine in the evening then refrigerate overnight, but dough can be chilled up to 2 days before baking.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Baked cookies freeze well, simply place them in a freezer bag and store up to 3 months.

Cookie dough balls are also freezer friendly, just place them in a freezer bag and store up to 3 months. No need to thaw before baking, just add an additional minute to the baking time.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies. Please leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the blog when you try it for yourself. And, while you’re at it, sign up for my weekly Recipe Newsletter so you never miss a tempting recipe.

Finally, if you love combining chocolate chips and pecans then check out this recipe for Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie. Toasted pecans, brown sugar, a splash of bourbon and dark chocolate give this classic pie a modern twist.