Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

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If you’re on the hunt for fall cookie ideas that strike the perfect balance of cozy, nutty, and chocolatey, these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are for you. Made with rich browned butter and toasted pecans, these chewy cookies are full of deep flavor and crunchy texture, and they’re one of my go-to easy fall desserts when I want something a little extra special without a ton of work. They’re perfect for bake sales, cookie swaps, or just a quiet afternoon treat with a mug of something warm.

Whether you’re baking up a batch for your next gathering or just craving a fall themed dessert with bold, buttery flavor, these cookies are everything you need—no fancy ingredients, no complicated steps, just cozy cookie goodness.

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Ingredients for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Here’s what you’ll need to make these irresistibly chewy cookies:

For the Dough:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups chopped pecans, toasted
¾ cup mini chocolate chips (dark, milk, or semi-sweet—your choice!)

These cookies don’t need anything extra to taste amazing, but browning the butter really goes a long way! Keep reading for how to easily brown butter to incorporate into these yummy cookies.

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

If you’ve never browned butter before, don’t worry—it’s easy, and once you’ve done it once, you’ll want to use it in everything.

Step 1: Brown the Butter

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir continuously as it foams, then begins to darken. You’ll see golden bits form on the bottom and smell a deliciously nutty aroma—that’s when it’s ready! This usually takes about 5–7 minutes for a whole cup of butter, but every stove is different.

Pour the browned butter (including the browned bits!) into a heatproof bowl and let it cool for 10–15 minutes.

Step 2: Toast the Pecans

While the butter is cooling, preheat your oven to 350°F and spread your chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Toast them for 5–7 minutes or until they smell rich and nutty. Set them aside to cool completely.

Step 3: Make the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until smooth.
Add in the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

browned butter, sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl

eggs and vanilla mixed with browned butter, sugar and brown sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Fold in the toasted pecans and chocolate chips.

dry ingredients combeindcombined with wet ingredients in a mixing bowl

toasted pecans and mini chocolate chips folded into browned butter cokie dough

Step 4: Chill the Dough

Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30–60 minutes. Chilling helps the flavors deepen and prevents the cookies from spreading too much when baking.

Step 5: Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (if it’s not still on from earlier). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop the chilled dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and space them a couple inches apart on the prepared sheets.

If you like, sprinkle some extra pecans and mini chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough before beaking for an extra picture-perfect look.
Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are set and just turning golden. The centers should still look a little soft—that’s how you get that perfect chewy texture!

Step 6: Cool and Finish

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
While still warm, sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt if you’d like.

Pro Tips

- Don’t skip the browning step: It adds an extra depth of flavor you just can’t get from regular melted butter. Also, use a rubber spatula to get every last bit of that browned butter out of the bowl you store it in. Those browned bits are where the magic really happens.
- Watch the pecans: Toasting them enhances their flavor, but they can burn quickly. Keep an eye on them!
- Chill the dough: This keeps the cookies from spreading too much and gives you a thicker, chewier result. I would recommend at least 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge for best results.
- Press extra mix-ins right on top of your cookie dough balls before baking so that some extra pretty pecan bits and chocolate chips stick out in the end.
- Use a cookie scoop to get even-sized cookies.

FAQs

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! You can chill the dough for up to 48 hours before baking (keep the dough covered in the fridge) or freeze scooped dough balls and bake from frozen (just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time).

Can I skip the chocolate chips?

Absolutely—if you want a classic brown butter pecan cookie, just leave out the chocolate chips. They’ll still be a delectable fall themed dessert!

How should I store these cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months.

Do I have to toast the pecans too?

Definitely not! In fact, if you’re short on time, I would recommend skipping toasting the pecans over skipping browning the butter. The browned butter really adds to the flavor of these cookies whereas I would consider the toasted pecans more of a nice-to-have in this recipe, rather than a must-have.

These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are one of my favorite fall cookie ideas to bake when the air starts to cool and I want something sweet, cozy, and crowd-pleasing. The browned butter adds richness, the pecans bring a warm crunch, and the chocolate chips tie it all together. They’re an easy fall dessert that are still special enough to serve at a party or fall get-together.

I hope you enjoy these delightful bites of fall as much as I did! Happy baking!