Candied pecans make this the BEST chocolate chip pecan cookie recipe you will ever try! Chewy and buttery – if you love nuts, they are the perfect chocolate chip cookie.
CRUNCHY PECANS FOR THE WIN!
I love pecans in my chocolate chip cookies, but I have a son who’s allergic, so I don’t often add them. But after becoming addicted to the candied pecans in my butter pecan ice cream, I knew I had to incorporate them into a cookie!
I tweaked the recipe for my brown butter chocolate chip cookies to make the base. They are fantastic, and I’ve even tried them with added crunchy pecans.
But by making candied pecans, you take the cookies to a whole new level! Of course they are buttery and chewy in the middle with crispy edges. Of course they are loaded with gooey chocolate.
Then you bite into one of the sweet, buttery toasted pecans, and your mind is blown!
I made two batches last month. One I took to a women’s retreat, the other my husband took to work. I got so many recipe requests that I am bumping this post ahead of other recipes I had scheduled. They’re that good!
How to make pecan chocolate chip cookies:
- CANDIED PECANS – In a non stick skillet, combine the pecans, butter, sugar, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is melted and pecans are toasted. Spread out on a silicone liner or parchment paper to cool.
Coarsely chop. - BROWN THE BUTTER – Use a wet paper towel to wipe out the skillet. Add the 3/4 cup of butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until it foams and turns light brown. Pour into a large mixing bowl, using a silicone spatula to get every drop.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees f; let the butter cool for 5 minutes. - WET INGREDIENTS – Add the sugars into the browned butter whisk until blended. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
(I like to reserve a few chips and nuts to press into the tops of the baked cookies.) - FORM – Line two large baking sheets with silicone liners. Scoop dough by 2 tablespoons and roll into balls. Place eight cookie dough balls on each cookie sheet.
- BAKE – Bake cookies at 375° for about 8 minutes. They should be golden brown around the edges, but the middles should barely be set. If desired press a few extra chocolate chips and pecans on top of each cookie.
- COOL – Let cookies sit on the pan for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
Nothing beats gooey cookies warm from the oven, but you can store them for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.
PRO TIPS:
- Cooking the pecans with butter and sugar does take a few extra minutes, but trust me, it’s worth it!
- If you use unsalted butter, add an additional heaping 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dough.
- For best results, don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup. Too much flour leads to dry cookies that don’t spread enough on the pan.
- Melted butter makes for chewy cookies. So even if you don’t take the time to brown the butter for this recipe, at least melt it.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Recipe Variations:
- I think the best chocolate chip cookies have half dark chocolate chips and half milk chocolate chips, but you can use all of one or the other. You could even add white chocolate chips.
- I’ve also tried these with half semi sweet chocolate chips and half chopped chocolate bar. (I used a Symphony bar.) Delish!
- As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, sprinkle them with flaky sea salt.
- Want a crispy chocolate chip cookie? Slightly flatten the cookie dough balls, and increase the baking time by a few minutes.
Looking for new cookie recipes? Try these:
- Cherry Chip Cookies
- Lemon Crumbl Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies
- Nestle White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Million Dollar Cookies
- Mini M&M Cookies
- Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Candied Pecans:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp water
Cookie Dough:
- ¾ salted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour 10 ounces
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips I use half milk/half semi sweet.
Instructions
- For candied pecans – Combine the pecans, butter, sugar, and water in a large, non-stick skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is melted and pecans are toasted. Spread out on a silicone liner or parchment paper to cool. Coarsely chop.
- For cookie dough – Wipe out the skillet and add the 3/4 cup of butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until it foams and turns light brown. Pour into a large mixing bowl, using a silicone spatula to get every drop.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees; let the butter cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the sugars into the browned butter. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans. (I like to reserve a few chips and nuts to press into the tops of the baked cookies.)
- Scoop a heaping 2 tablespoons of dough (1.5 ounces) and roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place eight cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet that has been lightly greased or lined with a silicone liner.
- Bake cookies for about 8 minutes at 375 degrees. They should be golden brown around the edges, but the middles should barely be set. They will continue baking after you remove them from the oven.
- If desired, press a few chocolate chips and pecans on top of each cookie. Let cool on the pan for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
- You can also freeze them for up to 6 months. For maximum freshness, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then freeze them in a heavy duty freezer bag.
Nutrition
With nutty brown butter, candied chopped pecans, and two kinds of chocolate, these are the best chocolate chip pecan cookies you will ever sink your teeth into!
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