Butter Pecan Cookies
These Butter Pecan Cookies taste just like the ice cream…only in cookie form! They’re a little chewy, a little crispy and totally delicious!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Growing up, my favorite flavor of ice cream was butter pecan. I can’t tell you how many containers of Healthy Choice butter pecan ice cream we went through. (On a side note, whatever happened to that brand? Those round green containers seemed to be everywhere on the ice cream aisle…until they weren’t.)
So what gives butter pecan it’s familiar and iconic flavor? The butter and pecans are obvious, but the “secret ingredient” is brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. The extra depth of flavor from the brown sugar is the key to any butter pecan flavored treat.
Butter Pecan Cookies
I hit the kitchen the other day with the goal of making cookies. Instead of traditional sugar cookies, I decided to use brown sugar…and that’s what reminded me of butter pecan. I grabbed a bag of pecans from the fridge and about an hour later I was munching on these Butter Pecan Cookies. Holy cow – these cookies taste amazing!
Ingredients in Butter Pecan Cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda. Leavener that helps create softer cookies.
- Baking powder. Another leavener that helps the cookies rise as well as spread out.
- Salt. Adds flavor and tenderness to cookies.
- Butter. Provides tenderness and richness to baked cookies. I used unsalted butter, but next time I want to try ½-unsalted and ½-salted butter. I suspect the extra salt would be pretty fantastic!
- Brown sugar. Adds the iconic toasty flavor that we associate with butter pecan. (I used light brown sugar.)
- Eggs. Provides structure to the cookie dough.
- Vanilla Extract. Adds flavor.
- Pecans. Adds texture and flavor – you can’t have butter pecan cookies without pecans!
Overall these cookies are quite easy to make. The dough is soft and easy to roll into balls, and I was able to get 24 large cookies from this recipe. (You could cut this recipe in half if you don’t want that many cookies. However, one bite of these cookies, and you’ll probably wish you made extras!)
How to Store Leftover Cookies
Leftover cookies should be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The cookies will begin to dry out slightly after a couple of days, but they will still be quite delicious.
These Butter Pecan Cookies can also be frozen. Just place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature.
If you’re looking for a fantastic cookie recipe (and I do mean fantastic!), then put these Butter Pecan Cookies on the list of things to bake soon. We loved these in our house, and I hope they become a favorite in your house, too! Happy baking!
Did you bake this Butter Pecan Cookies recipe at home? Leave a comment or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans toasted
- flaked sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper; set pans aside.
- Using a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir until well combined. Set bowl aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (~4 minutes on medium speed).
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract; mix on low speed until well combined. (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape down sides and bottom of the mixing bowl!)
- Add the flour mixture and chopped pecans; mix on low speed until well combined. (Note: Don't forget to toast pecans lightly in a dry skillet for several minutes before adding them to the dough!)
- Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into a ball; place cookie dough balls on prepared baking sheets. (Tip: Leave ~2” between balls of dough.)
- Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until edges of the cookies just begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove pans from oven and let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. {Optional} Add a pinch of flaked sea salt on top of the cookies as they cool.
Looking for more tasty cookie recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had butter pecan cookies before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
These cookies are delicious, Ramya – happy baking!!
Love the flavor of butter pecan and you’ve done it in these cookies! Chewy and crispy cookies are the best — save me some with a glass of milk!
These are truly some of the best cookies ever, Michelle. I highly recommend making a batch…soon!
I love pecans and i love vanilla extract. A sprinkle of salt always goes down well. It looks like you have put some on top of the biscuits but it doesn’t say that in the recipe? I made 30 Anzac biscuits on Wednesday for the local Anzac Day service yesterday. They had about 15,000 people at the CBD service! Your biscuits look fabulous David!!
You know what – I forgot to include the sprinkle of flaked sea salt in the recipe! Thanks for catching that. I made that adjustment in the kitchen, and I must have forgotten to write it down. I’ll fix it now. Thanks, Sherry!!
I didn’t know pecans when I was growing up (naturally, no pecan ice cream, either). But now pecans are one of my favourite nuts! And who can resist the combo of brown sugar and pecans? This cookies are already quite sweet, but you can reduce the amount of sugar in the dough and then drizzle with a bourbon glaze… Do you like the way I’m thinking? Lol
I did grow up around pecans, and they’re still my favorite nut. And you’re right about brown sugar + pecans – it’s a great combo! I’m not sure what would happen if you reduce the sugar in the dough. That could lead to some unintended results as they bake since the dough would be a different consistency. I say give it a try and let me know what happens!
Butter pecan ice cream holds such nostalgia for many of us, and turning that flavor into cookies is such a brilliant idea! Your Butter Pecan Cookies sound absolutely divine, with that perfect balance of chewiness and crispiness. It’s fascinating how brown sugar plays such a crucial role in capturing that iconic butter pecan flavor, adding depth and richness to the cookies. Nice one
Thanks so much, Raymund! Brown sugar and pecans really do go well together. Happy baking!
Your biscuits look scrumptious David. Brown sugar certainly is a secret ingredient, I need to do some biscuit baking very soon. The aroma in the house is so tantalising during a biscuit baking session.
Oh, I do love cookie season! (Oh, who are we kidding, Pauline? Every season is cookie baking season around here! Err…biscuit baking season.) 🙂
Love how you turned this delicious ice cream flavour into a cookie. Imagine having butter pecan ice cream with these cookies crumbled on top of it?! It’s only morning but now I have a craving for cookies…and ice cream, LOL. I love how you finished these with flaky salt…that salty and sweet combo is the best!!
Woah – you just took this whole idea to a new level, Dawn! Butter pecan ice cream with these cookies crumbled on top? That needs to happen!!
I must give these cookies a try as butter pecan ice cream is my favorite.
Let me know what you think, Karen! These cookies certainly didn’t last very long around here. 🙂
Those look so good David! I don’t think I’ve ever seen (or heard) of butter pecan icecream but I’ll take your word for it. It’s not a brand that was sold here in the Netherlands I would image but these cookies look absolutely fabulous! It’s been a while since I last baked cookies, but now I want to make these as well!
Hmmm – butter pecan ice cream must be a US thing. Trust me when I say it’s quite tasty, Simone! I definitely recommend a batch of these cookies if you’re in the mood to bake up a sweet treat!
David, OMG SWOON…. I love these cookies.
Velva
Thanks so much, Velva – these cookies are truly delicious!!
Uh, maybe the people at Healthy Choice eventually had to admit that ice cream wasn’t such a healthy choice? 🙂 Butter pecan is also my mom’s favorite ice cream. I have to say that my faves lean more toward mint chip, although I’ve always had a thing for sherbet – but that may be due to the mysterious, unwritten, extra R in the final syllable. Anyway, the next logical step for these cookies is to make ice cream sandwiches with them, using butter pecan ice cream!
Haha – you might be onto something there with the Healthy Choice folks, Jeff. But then again, does that brand even exist at all now? Oh well. I need to spend my time pondering the concept of butter pecan ice cream in between these butter pecan cookies. *mind blown*