25 minutes
Butter Pecan Cookies
Butter Pecan Cookies are large, bakery-style cookies that are easy to make and are loaded with chopped pecans, toffee bits, and butterscotch chips! No chilling is required, and they’re ready in under 30 minutes!
Grab another pecan cookie recipe by baking up The Best Pecan Sandies EVER! or these Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies!
All About These Delicious Butter Pecan Cookies
These big, homemade Butter Pecan Cookies are a cookie lover’s dream! The rich buttery dough is studded with crunchy pecans and a delicious combination of toffee bits and butterscotch chips, making for a cookie unlike any other!
The best part about these rich, scrumptious treats is that though they’re packed with amazing flavor, they’re super easy to make! Their flavor and golden-brown perfection make them great for any occasion!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Rich, buttery cookie dough is loaded with nutty pecans, sweet butterscotch chips, and toffee bits! Making for a flavor-packed treat that everyone will love!
Texture: The chewy cookie dough has crisp edges, while the mix-ins make for a combination of crunchy, sticky texture!
Ease: 4/10
Pros: No chill dough, bakery-style cookies that come out of the oven within 25 minutes of beginning the recipe.
Cons: This recipe does yield just 10 large bakery-sized cookies, but you can reduce their size to produce a large number of cookies.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, the buttery flavor in these cookies is absolutely mouthwatering!
Ingredients For Butter Pecan Cookies
- Bread Flour
- Malted Milk Powder
- Corn Starch
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Salted Butter
- Light Brown Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter Extract
- Large Egg
- Additional Large Egg Yolk
- Pecan Pieces
- Toffee Bits
- Butterscotch Chips
Ingredient Notes
- Bread Flour – To create a moist, chewier cookie, bread flour is used instead of all-purpose. Since bread flour has a higher protein content, it combines powerfully with butter and eggs, creating a stronger gluten foundation that helps to make these cookies chewy!
- Malted Milk Powder – While malted milk powder isn’t necessary for the structure of these cookies, they do add a delicious depth of flavor! This flavor plays into these cookies being an absolute standout treat!
- Corn Starch – Though this recipe calls for just 2 teaspoons, the minimal amount greatly impacts these cookies! The cornstarch supports the overall structure of the cookie while creating a treat that has a soft, tender texture.
- Butter – Since these cookies are Butter Pecan Cookies, using quality butter will really make a difference. Making these cookies with a high-quality butter such as Kerrygold, that’s made with a lower water content yet higher cream content, ensures that these cookies come out deliciously rich.
- Butter Extract – A tiny amount goes a long way and amplifies the butter flavor of the cookies. You can omit it if you can’t find it, but I highly recommend adding it if you can! It’s usually found near the other extracts in the baking aisle or you can buy butter extract online (affiliate link).
- Pecan Chips – For flavor and crunch, you can’t make Butter Pecan Cookies without ’em! We prefer pecan pieces, but you could use chopped pecans in this recipe as well.
- Butterscotch Chips – We tested this recipe with and without butterscotch chips and while they were a delicious cookie without, the butterscotch really drives the butter pecan flavor home!
How To Make Butter Pecan Cookies
- Whisk together bread flour, malted milk powder, corn starch, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and then set it aside.
- Cream salted butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, and butter extract together in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer that’s fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Mix in the large egg and additional large egg yolk.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little to a time, mixing after each addition.
- Mix in the pecan pieces, toffee bits, and butterscotch chips.
- Add pecan pieces to a small, shallow bowl.
- Portion out the cookie dough and then use your hands to round out the edges of the dough mound. Then press the top of the dough bowl into the bowl of pecans so they stick to the top. If desired, you can also press in some additional butterscotch chips as well.
- Transfer the cookie dough balls to a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven until the edges begin to brown with centers that still look soft and slightly puffy.
- Cool the cookies on the pan and then transfer them to a wire rack to allow them to finish cooling completely.
Rebecca’s Tips
- Two Baking Sheets – When baking cookies, it’s best to use two cookie sheets as it allows one baking sheet to cool while the other batch bakes. This will prevent the cookie dough from being dropped on a hot baking sheet. Cookie dough dropped on a hot baking sheet changes the cookie’s structure, causing them to spread more, resulting in thinner cookies. Therefore, using two baking sheets or allowing your pan to cool in between baking is best.
- Weighted Measurements – Take a minute to learn how to correctly measure flour! Correctly measured flour will prevent cookies from being dry and crumbly. This happens when too much flour is added to a cookie recipe, which is actually quite easy to do by accident!
- Portion Cookies – Making cookies similar in size ensures that each cookie bakes up perfectly! Whereas if there are various-sized cookies on the same baking sheet, some will overbake, and some will underbake. To avoid this, a cookie scoop works best for portioning the dough; I used a #10 cookie scoop (affiliate link) for this recipe. You can also use a kitchen scale to measure 4 ounces of dough per cookie.
- Doneness – These cookies are done baking once the edges have started to brown yet still have soft and slightly puffy centers. The centers will firm up while resting on the baking sheet and then cool on the wire rack. If you bake until the centers are more set, you’ll end up with hard, crunchy cookies.
Substitutions & Variations
- Malted milk powder can be replaced with an equal amount of powdered coffee creamer.
- You can make these cookies with all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. The texture may turn out slightly different, but you’ll still be left with incredibly tasty cookies!
- Dip the tops of the cookie dough balls in a bowl of pecan pieces; this will add extra crunch and flavor and makes for a lovely finish as the pecans will spread as the cookie bakes and spread.
- These cookies can be made with English Toffee Bits or Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits for a little chocolate flavoring in these cookies.
Storage Instructions For Butter Pecan Cookies
Keep cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy them for up to 4 days!
How To Freeze This Cookie Dough To Bake Later
To freeze cookie dough, make the dough according to the instructions. Afterward, portion the dough out and place it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Then transfer the sheet of cookies into the freezer to flash freeze for about an hour. Then place the frozen cookie dough into a Ziploc bag. Make sure to squeeze the excess air out and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Cookie Recipes With Mix-Ins:
- Big & Chewy Monster Cookies (NYC Bakery Style) – Made with M&Ms and lots of chocolate!
- Salted Pistachio Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies – Sweet yet salty cookies that you’ll love!
- Cowboy Cookies – Loaded with pecans piececs, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut.
- Mom’s Recipe (Crumbl Copycat) – Filled with Toffee bits, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips!
- Kitchen Sink Cookies – Inspired by Ben & Jerry’s ‘Everything but the kitchen sink ice cream’!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let leave a review in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there.
Butter Pecan Cookies
These bakery-style Butter Pecan Cookies are extremely flavorful and loaded with chopped pecans, toffee bits, and butterscotch chips!
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups bread flour (270g)
- 1 tablespoon malted milk powder see notes
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup salted butter (170g) softened
- 1¼ cups light brown sugar (266g) packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon butter extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 additional large egg yolk
- 1¾ cup pecan pieces divided, about 6 ounces
- 1 cup toffee bits see notes
- ¾ cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. I recommend using 12×17-inch baking sheets.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups bread flour, 1 tablespoon malted milk powder, 2 teaspoons corn starch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together ¾ cup salted butter, 1¼ cups light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon butter extract for 2½ minutes then scrape down the sides and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add 1 large egg and 1 additional large egg yolk and mix just until the yellow streaks are gone.
- Add the flour mixture a ½ cup at a time, stirring just until incorporated after each addition. Then mix until fully combined.
- Add in 1 cup of the 1¾ cup pecan pieces, 1 cup toffee bits, and ¾ cup butterscotch chips and mix just until incorporated.
- Add the remaining ¾ cup of pecan pieces to a small bowl.
- Use a #10 cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Release from the scoop and gently use your hands to round out the flatter edge of the cookie dough then press the top of the dough ball into the bowl of pecans so they stick to the top. You can also press in some additional butterscotch chips if desired.
- Place the balls of dough 4 inches apart, you can fit 4 cookies on a 12×17-inch baking sheet by placing the balls of dough offset from each other at an angle instead of in a line.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes. You want the edges to be browning but the centers to still look soft and slightly puffy.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the ban for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Is There A Substitute For Malted Milk Powder? Yes, malted milk powder can be replaced with an equal amount of powdered coffee creamer.
- Can This Cookie Recipe Be Made With All Purpose Flour Instead Of Bread Flour? You can make these cookies with all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. The texture may turn out slightly different, but you’ll still be left with incredibly tasty cookies!
- How Can I Measure The Dough For Large Cookies If I Don’t Have A #10 Cookie Scoop? You can use a kitchen scale to measure 4 ounces of dough per cookie.
- Why Did My Cookies Turn Out Dry And Crumbly? Dry, crumbly cookies are either the result of too much flour being added to the recipe or they were overbaked. To avoid too much flour, skip scooping your flour straight from the bag or container using your measuring cup. Instead, scoop the flour into the cup with a spoon and then level off, or for best results, measure in grams using a kitchen scale. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet and rest on the cooling rack.
Nutrition
Calories: 662kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 788IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?
Don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram @sugarandsoulco and follow on Tiktok @sugarandsoulco and Pinterest @sugarandsoulco for more!
Share your thoughts!
Love this recipe? Share your thoughts with me and leave a review! And don’t forget to connect on your favorite social platform below!