Go Back
close up top down image of pecan chocolate chip cookies
Print

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These pecan chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate decadent cookie for the fall and winter months. Perfectly soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside, they have a rich from brown butter, a pecan laced caramel, and lots of chocolate chips.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, cookie, gluten-free, holiday
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Servings 16 cookies
Calories 320kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large sheet pan (stainless steel preferred)
  • 1 cookie scoop

Ingredients

Pecan Caramel

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk (I used cashew milk)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 3/4 cup + 2.5 tablespoons flour or gluten-free flour blend
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips I used a combination of semi-sweet and dark
  • additional pecans and chocolate chips, for topping
  • flaky sea salt

Instructions

Brown the Butter

  • Cut the butter into a few pieces and place the pieces in a small pot or saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, reduce the heat to low.
  • Continue cooking on low as the top of the melted butter becomes frothy, and then as the milk solids begin to sink to the bottom of the pan. Once the milk solids start to brown, remove the pan from the heat.
  • Scrape all of the brown butter into a heat-safe ramekin and allow it to cool.

Make Pecan Caramel

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Once it is bubbling, add the sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla and salt and whisk together.
  • Reduce the heat to low and allow the caramel to bubble for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the caramel can coat the back of the spoon, stir in the pecans and remove it from the heat and allow it to cool down. When it's ready to use, the caramel should still be runny enough to drizzle off of the spoon.

Make the Cookie Dough

  • Pour the cooled but still slightly pourable butter into a large bowl, making sure to scrape all of it out of the ramekin. Add the brown sugar, cane sugar and vanilla extract and whisk together for 45-60 seconds. Whisk in the eggs until the batter looks fluffy and light.
  • In another bowl, combine the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture using a silicone spatula until just barely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Pour a few dollops of caramel around the cookie dough. Use a spatula to gently fold the cookie dough over the caramel. Repeat until all of the caramel is used and it is pooled and streaked through the dough.
  • Chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a steel or aluminum sheet pan with parchment. Use a cookie scoop 2 inches in diameter to scoop the cookie dough out of the bowl and onto the pan. Scoop 5-6 cookies out at a time, making sure to give them up to 3 inches of space apart. Place remaining cookie dough back in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes on the top or middle rack of your oven. Remove the pan from the oven and use a round cookie cutter or something similar to reshape the cookies and gently tuck in the edges of the cookies. Top with additional chocolate chips and pecans.
  • Place back into the oven for 2-4 minutes, or until just barely golden on the edges. Top with coarse sea salt and allow to fully cool before moving to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough - this recipe should make 14-16 cookies, depending on how much you pack the dough into the cookie scoop.

Notes

  • Measure your flour by spooning flour into a measuring cup and leveling it with the back of a knife. This will ensure you do not pack too much flour into the measuring cups, which will give you a dry and crumbly chocolate chip cookie.
  • Keep the dollops of caramel as intact as you can in the cookie dough, and try to include some caramel in each of the scoops of dough. 
  • Underbake versus overbake these cookies. If they are overbaked they will be a bit too crispy.
  • Use a round cookie cutter, cup lid, or ball jar lid to help reshape the cookies when they first come out of the oven and are still warm. Build up the edges by pulling the cookie dough towards the center.