Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Ingredients

For the toasted pecans

• 1 ½ cups pecan halves or roughly chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, optional
• A tiny pinch of salt

For the cookie dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup toasted chopped pecans

For finishing

• A handful of extra chocolate chips
• A handful of pecan pieces
• Flaky sea salt, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C .
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet.
3. Toast them for approximately 6–8 minutes , stirring once halfway through.
4. Watch them carefully because pecans can burn quickly.
5. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
6. Once cool, roughly chop them.
7. Pro tip: Don’t chop them too finely. A mixture of small pieces and larger chunks gives the cookies a much better texture.
8. In a medium bowl, combine:
9. Flour
10. Baking soda
11. Baking powder
12. Salt
13. Whisk everything together.
14. Set aside.
15. This distributes the raising agents and salt evenly throughout the flour, preventing concentrated pockets of baking soda.
16. Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
17. Add:
18. Brown sugar
19. Granulated sugar
20. Beat for approximately 2–3 minutes until creamy, smooth, and slightly fluffy.
21. Don’t rush this stage.
22. Properly creamed butter and sugar help give the cookies a beautiful texture.
23. Add the eggs one at a time .
24. Beat after each addition until incorporated.
25. Add the vanilla extract.
26. Mix again.
27. The mixture should look smooth and creamy.
28. If it looks slightly curdled, don’t worry. It will come together when the flour is added.
29. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
30. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears.
31. Do not overmix.
32. Once the flour has been incorporated, stop mixing.
33. Overmixing develops gluten and can make cookies tougher than you want.
34. Fold in:
35. 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
36. 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
37. Use a wooden spoon or spatula.
38. Mix gently until everything is evenly distributed.
39. Save some chocolate chips and pecan pieces for decorating the tops.
40. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30–60 minutes .
41. Chilling isn’t absolutely necessary for every cookie recipe, but it can help produce thicker cookies and improve the overall flavor.
42. For an even deeper flavor, you can refrigerate the dough overnight. Some established pecan chocolate-chip recipes specifically recommend an overnight rest.
43. Preheat your oven to:
44. 350°F / 175°C
45. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
46. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into balls approximately 2 tablespoons each .
47. Place them about 2–3 inches apart .
48. Press a few extra chocolate chips and pecan pieces into the tops.
49. This gives the finished cookies a beautiful bakery-style appearance.
50. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
51. Bake for approximately:
52. 10–13 minutes
53. The edges should look golden brown while the centers should still look slightly soft.
54. Don’t wait for the centers to become completely firm in the oven.
55. They will continue cooking from the residual heat after you remove them.
56. Recipes for similar pecan chocolate-chip cookies commonly bake around 10–14 minutes depending on cookie size and oven temperature.
57. Remove the cookies from the oven.
58. Allow them to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes .
59. Then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
60. The centers will continue to set as they cool.
61. If you love warm cookies, serve one while it’s still slightly warm and the chocolate is soft and melty.

Notes

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container. They are best enjoyed within several days. To make a slightly stale cookie soft again, microwave it for approximately 8–10 seconds . The chocolate will soften and the center will become pleasantly warm.

Nutrition

Calories: ~220–240 kcal · Protein: ~2.5–3 g · Fat: ~12–14 g · Carbohydrates: ~28–30 g · Saturated Fat: ~6–7 g · Fiber: ~1–2 g · Sugar: ~17–19 g · Sodium: ~120–160 mg