Butter Pecan Cookies Brown (Print Version)

Nutty sweet treats with toasted pecans, browned butter, and a hint of flaky sea salt.

# What You Need:

→ Brown Butter

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter

→ Cookie Dough

02 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves, coarsely chopped

→ Finishing

10 - Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking and swirling frequently until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and develops a nutty aroma, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
02 - While the butter cools, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool completely, then chop coarsely.
03 - To the cooled brown butter, add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the toasted pecans.
05 - Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough using approximately 2 tablespoons per cookie onto the sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
06 - Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until edges are golden and centers appear just set. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The brown butter does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you get that sophisticated taste without fussy techniques.
  • They come together faster than you'd expect, and the house smells incredible while they bake.
  • That sprinkle of sea salt at the end turns a simple cookie into something people actually remember eating.
02 -
  • Brown butter can go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds, so watch it closely and have your mixing bowl ready—it's not as forgiving as regular melting.
  • Chilling the dough for 1–2 hours before baking creates cookies with more complex flavor and a chewier center, and it's worth doing if you have the time.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs emulsify into the brown butter more smoothly, so pull them out about 30 minutes before you start baking.
  • If you're making these ahead, you can freeze the scooped dough and bake from frozen, adding just 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Return