Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies
Say goodbye to boring, ordinary cookies and hello to these Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies! From the addition of brown butter, candied pecans, and maple syrup, there isn’t a single detail that’s been left out of these delicious cookies!
The Coziest Cookie You’ll Ever Taste
From top to bottom, this cookie is filled with sweet warmth and cozy flavors! Starting with a brown butter cookie dough to add a deep, slightly nutty flavor, to the pecans that are candied with maple syrup, with a grand finale of brushing the baked cookies with vanilla simple syrup, every flavor is accounted for.
The perfect Fall and cold-weather cookie has now arrived with these Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies. Each soft and chewy bite is an explosion of sweet maple, crunchy candied pecans, with hints of cozy brown sugar and maple flavor.
Though these cookies are on another level, it doesn’t take a kitchen genius to make them! Anyone can bake up a batch of these delicious cookies by simply following the easy step-by-step recipe instructions!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: A delicious blend of sweet maple and toasted nutty pecans with hints of browned butter and sugar.
Texture: Firm exterior and soft, chewy center, and crunchy bits from the nuts.
Ease: 5/10
Pros: The flavor just gets better with time! No chilling required, but you can if you want to!
Cons: A multi-step process involving candying pecans, browning the butter, and then mixing the dough.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, if you’re a maple fan, you will love these cookies!
Ingredients For Maple Pecan Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour
- Malted Milk Powder
- Baking Soda
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Salt
- Maple Extract
- Large Egg
- Large Egg Yolk
- Vanilla Simple Syrup
- Flaky Sea Salt
- Chopped Pecans/Pecan Pieces
- 100% Pure Maple Syrup
The Magic Of Brown Butter
Brown butter is a simple way to take your cookies from ordinary to over-the-top delicious! Brown butter is just melted butter on the stovetop that, once cooked, takes on a toasty, slightly caramelized flavor that gives cookies (and all recipes!) a deep, rich flavor.
If you’ve never made brown butter before, it’s super easy! It requires just one ingredient, a whisk, a skillet, and less than 10 minutes. For all of my tips and tricks, check out my full guide on How To Make Brown Butter!
How To Make Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies
- Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper then set it aside.
- Candy the pecans by adding chopped pecans and/or pecan pieces to a large skillet with 100% pure maple syrup, light brown sugar, and sea salt. Cook this mixture until the sugar and maple syrup have coated the nuts and are no longer super sticky.
- Transfer the candied pecans to a parchment-lined pan or plate to allow them to cool.
- Whisk all-purpose flour, malted milk powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Then set this aside.
- Remove the unsalted butter from the fridge and allow it to set at room temperature.
- Add a portion of the unsalted butter to a skillet and cook until melted. Then continue cooking and stirring frequently until the brown bits begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Afterwards, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter until melted. Then transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl or stand mixer bowl that’s fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Add light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla bean paste, salt, and maple extract to the butter and mix to combine.
- Mix in the large egg and additional large egg yolk. Then let the dough rest and whisk again, repeat this process for two more rounds.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula or paddle attachment.
- Fold most of the cooled candied pecans into the cookie dough, reseving some out for topping.
- Portion out the maple pecan cookie dough and drop them on pan with ample space between each mound. Top the dough with some of the reserved candied pecans.
- Bake the Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies in the preheated oven, rotating the baking pan half way through.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
- Brush the hot cookies with vanilla simple syrup and then sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
Rebecca’s Maple Cookie Tips
- In this cookie recipe, I prefer to use a mix of chopped pecans and pecan pieces. However, you can use whichever you’d like. If you prefer, you can use some pecan halves. I just would not recommend using them for the full cup as the distribution through the cookie dough wouldn’t be as even.
- I found it’s best to use two baking sheets to be able to rotate them between batches. This prevents dropping cookie dough onto a hot baking sheet, which would slightly change the structure of the cookie.
- Be careful not to overcook the pecans on the stovetop. This process should only take about 5 minutes.
- The browned butter is finished when brown bits begin to form in the bottom of the skillet, the top becomes foamy, and it begins to have a nutty aroma.
- The cookie dough in this recipe does turn out very soft, but this is normal! You do NOT need to chill the dough.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a round biscuit cutter to swirl them around. This will give them a perfectly round shape!
How To Store Maple Pecan Cookies
Once cooled, transfer the Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies into an airtight container and store them at room temperature. The cookies can then be enjoyed for up to 1 week.
More Yummy Pecan Recipes
- German Chocolate Icing Recipe (Coconut Pecan Frosting) – Rich, decadent frosting!
- Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies – Crisp, chewy, JUMBO cookies!
- Best Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe – The ultimate breakfast treat!
- Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe – Golden brown buttery cookies with toasted pecans!
- Easy Pecan Pie Bars – Made with a buttery shortbread crust base!
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Maple Pecan Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Candied Pecans
- 2 cup chopped pecans/pecan pieces 325g
- ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup 80g
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Cookie Dough
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour 228g, spooned and leveled
- 2 tablespoons malted milk powder or powdered milk
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter 196g, sliced into tablespoons and divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ¾ cup light brown sugar 150g, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- ¼ cup vanilla simple syrup
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. It is best to use two baking sheets and rotate them between batches. Dropping the second batch of dough on the hot cookie sheet will slightly change the structure of the cookie.
- Add 2 cup chopped pecans/pecan pieces to a large skillet with ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and cook over medium heat until the sugar and syrup have coated the nuts and aren't super sticky, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the nuts to a parchment-lined pan or plate to cool for at least 15 minutes or until ready to use.
- While the pecans are toasting, whisk together the 1¾ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons malted milk powder, and ½ teaspoon baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Pull the 14 tablespoons unsalted butter out of the refrigerator to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before using.
- Add 10 tablespoons of the butter to a skillet and cook over medium heat until melted. Continue cooking and stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until brown bits start to form in the bottom of the pan, the top is foamy, and it has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until melted. Transfer the butter to a large heat-safe bowl or stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Add the ¾ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon maple extract to the butter and mix to combine.
- Add 1 large egg and an additional 1 large egg yolk and mix for 30 seconds. Let rest for 3 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat the resting and whisking for 2 more rounds. The batter should be smooth, thick, and shiny when done – almost like caramel sauce.
- Use a rubber spatula or paddle attachment to mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients for 1 minute. The dough will seem very soft, this is normal and you do not need to chill it.
- Fold in most of the candied pecans, reserving about ¼ for topping.
- Portion the dough out with a #20 (2.15-ounces) cookie scoop and drop the dough 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Top the dough with some of the reserved candied pecans.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and use a round biscuit cutter to shape them. Allow the cookies to cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
- Brush the hot cookies with ¼ cup vanilla simple syrup and sprinkle with Flaky sea salt.
Video
Notes
- Do not brown all of the butter; it will alter the recipe. It’s important that the 4 tablespoons are only melted and not cooked to the point of clarifying or browning.
- Slicing the butter before melting will give it a faster and more even melt.
- I like to use a mix of chopped pecans and pecan pieces, but you can use whichever you’d like. You can use some pecan halves, but I would recommend not using them for the full cup, as the distribution isn’t as even.
Nutrition
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