Last Updated on 18/12/2023 by Adina
This recipe for pecan chocolate chip cookies is truly fantastic. It's easy to make, there is no need for chilling, and the results are consistently amazing.
Baked to perfection, these homemade pecan chocolate chip cookies are a delightful treat for any occasion, not just the holiday season. Enjoy the crunchy pecans and the sweetness of chocolate chips, chewy cookies with crispy edges in each bite. Bake and share them with friends and family!
Try more of our delicious cookies: Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cookies, Mincemeat Tarts, or German Coconut Macaroons.
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📋Recipe ingredients and substitutes
- Chocolate chips: My first choice is always semi-sweet chocolate chips. However, the recipe works with dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips.
- You can also use chocolate chunks or a chopped chocolate bar.
- Pecans bring a buttery, nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch to the cookies, balancing the sweetness of the chocolate chips.
- Alternatively, use walnuts instead of pecans.
- Butter: Unsalted butter with 82% fat (European-style butter). Butter with lower fat content contains more water, which isn't ideal for cookies unless the recipe is specifically designed for it, which isn't the case here.
- Light brown sugar and granulated white sugar.
- Two large eggs at room temperature.
- Other ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking soda, a little bit of sea salt, and vanilla extract.
Equipment: Stand mixer or electric mixer with paddle attachment, large bowl, medium bowl, rubber spatula, cooling rack, one or two baking trays, and parchment paper.
👩🏻🍳How to make the best chocolate chip pecan cookies?
Beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping after each addition. Add vanilla extract.
Mix and sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Mix well.
Fold in chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
Place 6 balls of dough on each baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Keep the unbaked cookie dough balls refrigerated so they don't get too soft.
Bake for 11-13 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges. Let the baked cookies rest on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
🥜Variations on the recipe
- Substitute white chocolate chips for the dark or milk chocolate chips for a sweeter twist.
- Mix in some toffee bits along with the chocolate chips for an extra layer of sweetness and crunch.
- Add finely grated orange zest to the cookie dough to infuse a citrusy flavor that complements the pecans and chocolate.
- Spiced pecan chocolate chip cookies: Add some cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg and cloves into the dough for a warm, comforting flavor.
🔊Expert Tips
Kitchen scale: Utilizing a kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) for measuring ingredients ensures the best results. Unlike measuring cups, which can vary due to how ingredients are packed or leveled, a scale provides precise amounts, leading to consistent results.
Room temperature: Letting butter and eggs warm to room temperature before baking is essential. It helps the ingredients mix smoothly, making the cookie dough nice and even.
For optimal baking, use a minimum of two baking trays when making cookies and consider using a fan-assisted oven (adjusting the temperature to 300°F/ 150°C). This setup lets you bake two trays of chocolate chip pecan cookies simultaneously. Before placing the next batch of dough balls on the sheet, ensure the previously used sheet has cooled down to room temperature. This prevents the dough from spreading too quickly during baking.
Baking time: For softer, chewier cookies, bake them for about 11 minutes. For crispier ones, bake them for about 13 minutes. I prefer crispy pecan chocolate chip cookies, but that’s just my personal taste; the rest of my family likes the softer ones.
❓Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can refrigerate the cookie dough for up to 48 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough (portioned or as a whole) and bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Not really. I tried it and didn’t notice much of a difference. However, you will enjoy their size and crispy-chewy consistency; the pecan chocolate chip cookies are truly one of our favorite cookie recipes.
Room Temperature: Once the chocolate chip cookies with pecans have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to one week.
Refrigeration: If you wish to extend their shelf life, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container. This can prolong their freshness for up to two weeks.
Freezing: To store them for longer periods, freeze them. Place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They'll maintain their quality for up to three months.
Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes, or reheat them in a preheated oven at 300°F/150°C for 5-10 minutes for that freshly baked taste.
🍪More cookies with nuts
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Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric mixer
- 2 Bowls
- 1-2 Baking sheets Note 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks/ 225 g, room temperature, Notes 2, 3
- 1 ¼ cup soft light brown sugar 9 oz/ 250 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 3.5 oz/ 100 g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour 14 oz/ 400 g, Note 2
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 4.5 oz/ 125 g, Note 4
- ¾ cup pecans chopped, 4.5 oz/ 125 g, Note 4
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 340°F/ 170°C (fan oven 300°F/ 150°C). Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and both types of sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the walls of the bowl a couple of times in between.1 cup unsalted butter / 225 g + 1 ¼ cup soft light brown sugar / 250 g + ½ cup granulated sugar/ 100 g
- Add the eggs, one at a time, at medium-high speed, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla extract and incorporate.2 large eggs + ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix flour, salt, and baking soda in another bowl. Sieve the mixture over the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well on medium-low to get a smooth dough (about ½ minute).3 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour/ 400 g + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- Fold in the chocolate chips and the chopped nuts using a rubber spatula or a spoon.¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips / 125 g + ¾ cup pecans 125 g
- Form similar-sized balls (about 1.8-2 oz/ 50-55 g each). Place 6 of them on each tray, ensuring enough space between them (they will spread).
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges. 11 minutes will yield chewier, softer cookies; after 13 minutes, they will be a bit crispier.
- Let them rest on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Baking sheets: If you use a fan-assisted oven, you can bake two trays of cookies at a time.
- Measurements: Using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) to measure the ingredients guarantees the best results. This recipe is developed using the metric system and works best when used that way.
- Butter: Preferably European-style butter with a high-fat content (82%).
- Chocolate: You can use your favorite sort: semi-sweet, dark, milk or white chocolate.
- Substitute pecans with walnuts, macadamia, or other nuts.
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