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Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Cookies

Brown butter pecan chocolate cookies bake up with golden edges, soft centers, toasted pecans, and semisweet chocolate chips. Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape while the browned butter adds a nutty flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling and resting time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 egg yolk large
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.75 tsp table salt
  • 1 cup pecans chopped
  • 1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment

  • 2 18x13-inch baking sheets

Method
 

  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, for 5-8 minutes until it turns amber and smells nutty.
  2. Remove the butter from the heat and stir in the water.
  3. Pour the butter into a large heatproof bowl, scraping in the browned bits.
  4. Cool the butter for 15-20 minutes until warm but not hot.
  5. Whisk the light brown sugar and granulated sugar into the butter until combined.
  6. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and table salt.
  8. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until no dry flour remains.
  9. Fold in the chopped pecans and semisweet chocolate chips.
  10. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
  11. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  12. Line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
  13. Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  14. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look slightly underdone.
  15. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
  16. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

For the best nutty flavor, scrape all the browned butter bits into the bowl and chill the dough for the full hour. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezer-friendly. For a gluten-free variation, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.