Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies
These Pecan Cookies are to die for delicious and bursting with nutty pecans, cinnamon, maple and brown sugar flavors! Buttery, soft and chewy on the inside with crunchy, sugary exterior, these cookies are crazy addictive! And, they are freezer friendly too!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls (2)
- Handheld or Stand Mixer
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour - spooned & leveled (SEE NOTES)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
- ¾ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter - sliced & softened to room temperature
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¾ Cup Brown Sugar - packed (light or dark)
- 1 large Egg - room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp Maple Extract (SEE NOTES)
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/4 Cup Pecans - chopped, toasted & cooled (SEE NOTES)
- 1/3 Cup Sanding Sugar (or Granulated Sugar) - for rolling (Optional)
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt until combined. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add in both sugars and beat on medium high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed when making the cookie dough. Add in the egg and both extracts. Beat on medium-high until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet: On low speed, slowly mix in the dry ingredients until almost combined. Use a rubber spatula and gently fold until the ingredients are JUST combined to form a cohesive ball. The dough should be thick and sticky. DO NOT over-mix.
- Add pecans: Add the pecans to the dough and fold until JUST distributed throughout the dough.
- Chill: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.Then, Remove Chill: Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, until the dough is easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Scoop and roll: Use your hands or a cookie scoop to roll the dough into balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoon or 1 ounces in size each). Roll each ball in sanding sugar (optional). Transfer the cookie balls onto the prepared cookie sheets, arranging them 2-3 inches apart.(Note: If you are baking one sheet of cookies at a time, keep the remaining cookie dough balls in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.)
- Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges and set (the cookies shouldn’t be glossy in the in the middle).
- Cool and Enjoy: Remove cookies from oven and place the cookie sheet on a wire rack. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies from the cookie sheet to the wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Flour: For the best results, make sure you properly measure the flours. Use a spoon to fluff the flour within the container or bag. Use a large spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Use the straight side of a knife to level the flour across the measuring cup.
- Maple extract is not the same thing as maple syrup. If you can't find maple extract you can simply use more vanilla extract, or you can substitute almond extract or rum extract. If you skip or substitute the maple extract the cookies will have a different flavor, but they will still be delicious!
- Pecans: Toasting the pecans is optional, but highly recommended. Toasting them brings out their nutty flavor and makes them irresistible!
- To toast in a skillet: Add the pecans to a dry skillet. Place the skillet over medium-low heat. Brown, tossing the pecans frequently, for 6-8 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely before using.
- To toast pecans in the oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecan pieces for 15 minutes, or until toasted, stirring once halfway through. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely before using.
- Cooking Time: Baked cookies will look very soft when you remove them from the oven, but they will continue to harden as they cool on baking sheet.
- For thin and crispy cookies: If you prefer flat, thin and slightly crispy cookies, use the back of a spoon to gently press down on the cookies immediately after you remove them from the oven. Let cool on the cookie sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make ahead: Cookie dough will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cookie dough can be rolled into balls and frozen for up to 3 months. (Do not thaw cookie dough before baking, simply add an extra minute to bake time.) Baked cookies will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 144kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 2g Fat: 9g Saturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 22mg Sodium: 66mg Potassium: 37mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 200IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 12mg Iron: 1mg