Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are exactly what you need when you’re craving the comfort of a warm cookie that will chase the blues away. These cookies are chock full of toasty pecans and rich chocolate. Baked to perfection and soft and melty inside.
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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
It’s simple - the texture! This is a pecan chocolate chip cookie so that means you’ll find lots of crunchy pecans inside BUT also lots of gooey chocolate and a cookie dough that melts in your mouth!
Chocolate chip cookies are my all time fav! So much so that I have to make small batch chocolate chip cookies or else I’ll be so greedy that I’ll eat the lot.
Actually, to tell the truth, I’ll hide chocolate chips in just about anything that I can - almond flour peanut butter cookies, plain almond flour cookies, muffins. But these Chocolate Chip Cookies with pecans are just about top of the list!
What makes these so good? It’s the decent amount of butter and brown sugar that keeps these cookies moist. And these ingredients keep cookies “moister” for longer - now that’s got to be good!
This is a cookie that’s simple to make, doesn’t need chilling or fancy ingredients. It’s a basic cookie that tastes amazing and satisfies the cravings when they hit. If you love bakery style chocolate chip cookies, then you’ll adore these! Let me know what you think in the comments!
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card bottom of the page.
???? Ingredients
- Pecans - It’s important that these are fresh. Nuts go stale very quickly so only purchase what you are going to use in a short amount of time. And whatever you do, don’t skip toasting the pecans. Toasting enhances the flavor of all nuts and is essential!
- Butter - I generally use unsalted butter because that means I have control over the salt in the cookies. However in this recipe (because salt will compliment the pecans and chocolate) you could substitute salted butter. What I don’t want you to substitute the butter for is margarine! Butter is king and makes all your cooking amazing!
- Brown sugar - As I said earlier, brown sugar adds moisture to the dough and keeps the cookies soft and moist with a chewy texture
- Superfine white sugar - White sugar actually does the opposite to brown sugar and just a little creates that perfect contrast between softness and crispiness.
- Eggs - Here’s another moisture giving ingredient but eggs also provide structure to the cookies but binding with the flour so they don’t fall apart.
- Vanilla extract - Subtle but essential - leave it out and you’ll notice a difference. I prefer extract but you could use essence or even a little vanilla paste.
- All purpose flour - This is just plain all purpose flour - simple but important. And what’s more important is to measure correctly. See Marcellina’s Top Tips for measuring flour.
- Baking soda - To do its job, baking soda needs to be paired with an acidic ingredient which in this case is brown sugar. And what job does it do I hear you ask? Rising so that the cookies have a little lift creating soft puffiness.
- Salt - Without salt, you wouldn’t get the right balance - all you’d get is sweetness. Just use a little though.
- Dark chocolate chips - Purchase good quality for the best end result.
♻️ Variations
I like to vary this recipe by using milk or white chocolate chips - still good, just different. Alternatively if you don’t have chocolate chips, chopped chocolate is great in these Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies!
So, while this is a pecan chocolate chip cookie recipe, you may not have (or like) pecans. In that case I suggest you substitute walnuts which work perfectly in this recipe.
???? Instructions
Please note that my instructions below correspond with the numbered photos above. For greater detail, see the recipe card.
You can use a stand mixer to prepare the cookie dough or a hand held mixer. If you’ve got a bit of muscle, a bowl and a wooden spoon will also work.
Preheat the oven to 320ºF/160ºC. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper.
Spread the pecans onto the baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes until fragrant. Allow the pecans to cool.
- Beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and lightened in color. Mix in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract thoroughly and completely.
- I like to sieve the flour, baking soda and salt directly into the butter mixture and stir in until well combined. Alternatively whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl before adding.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and cooled pecans.
- Use a small cookie scoop to make 30 cookies (or roll small balls of the dough) and place onto prepared baking sheets allowing room for spreading. Bake as directed in the recipe.
???? Tips for Success and FAQs
As with most baking recipes, preheat the oven and have all your ingredients at cool room temperature for best results. Butter needs to be softened but not warm or melting.
With cookies it’s very important to carefully measure the flour. This is how - stir the flour to loosen it, gently spoon it into the cup being careful not to pack it in then level the flour off with a knife. If you dip the cup into the flour and scoop it in, it’s quite likely that the flour will pack and you’ll have too much.
Cream the butter and sugars until lightened and fluffy but don’t over do it. When over mixed, the butter will soften too much and it won’t easily hold the tiny air pockets. Also you’ll find that it might separate.
Scoop the cookies out onto a line baking sheet but don’t flatten. They’ll flatten as they cook. Use a cookie scoop or roll them lightly in your hands. I use a little cookie scoop (ice cream scoop) which measures approx 1½in/3.5cm across (size #60 or #70 cookie scoop).
Lastly, only bake until just lightly browned. These chocolate chip pecan cookies are best a little undercooked, I think. But that’s my preference, remember you are in control! You might like them more well done.
This could be due to several factors. Maybe you didn’t measure the flour correctly and inadvertently ended up with too much. This will cause the dough to be dry. Or maybe the cookies are over baked - too long in the oven or your oven could be running hot.
The most likely cause is that the butter was too warm or your kitchen was particularly warm. The dough should be sticky but thick. If it’s gooey and not scoopable, pop the bowl into the fridge for 30 minutes before scooping and baking the cookies.
Yes, after baking, freeze the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More recipes like this
If you love these amazing Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies, check out this delicious collection of cookie recipes here. My family’s fav’s are:-
- Italian Wedding Cookies - a buttery almond cookie coated in powdered sugar.
- Almond Biscotti - I’ll show you how to make the best biscotti ever!
- Baci di Dama - an Italian classic hazelnut cookie sandwiched with a chocolate filling.
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened 1 ½ sticks/170 grams
- ¾ cup brown sugar 150 grams
- ⅓ cup superfine (castor) sugar 67 grams
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose (plain) flour 250 grams
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans 170 grams
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips 240 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320ºF/160ºC. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper.
- Spread the pecans onto the baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes until fragrant. Remove to a plate and allow to cool. You’ll be able to reuse the lined baking sheet.
- Using an electric mixer (or wooden spoon), beat the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well combined and smooth. Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.
- Sieve flour, baking soda and salt directly over the bowl and into the butter mixture.
- Mix in flour, followed by pecans and chocolate chips.
- Use a small cookie scoop or divide mixture into 30 portions and roll into balls. Don't flatten.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 9-12 minutes.
- Cool on a baking tray for 5-10 minutes. Then cool on wire rack
Notes
- Use softened butter.
- Cream the butter and sugars until lightened and fluffy but don’t over do it.
- Scoop the cookies out onto a line baking sheet but don’t flatten.
- Lastly, only bake until just lightly browned.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
lyn
forget the Cordon Bleu, Marcellina you are a master cookie class. All the little tips that I have skipped or forgotten over the years really do make all the difference, thanks for the push.
Marcellina
Thank you Lyn! So happy that you enjoyed this recipe!
Keri Bevan
I've never tried adding pecans to chocolate chip cookies, but the combination is heavenly! Thank you! Five stars from my kids too!
nancy
adding this to my forever growing chocolate chip recipe collection
Alexandra
Love these delicious cookies - they have great texture and taste. We enjoyed them for morning tea with a strong pot of coffee on the side!
Nora
Those cookies turned out perfectly and my whole family enjoyed them! So delicious! Yum! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Natalie
These cookies look fantastic. I'll just swap brown sugar with coconut sugar and bake them today. My boys will love them. Thanks for the recipe.
Kayla DiMaggio
These chocolate chip pecan cookies were so delicious! The whole family loved them!