Browned Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Craving a cookie that’s buttery and rich but still grown-up enough to enjoy with a cup of coffee? These Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies are nutty, indulgent, and perfect whenever you need a bite of something sweet.
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This is the recipe you make when you want something a little extra without making things complicated. Perfect for holidays, cookie swaps, or anytime you want a chocolate chip cookie that stands out, they taste like the kind you’d splurge on at a bakery. The dough comes together easily, but the flavor is rich, layered, and anything but ordinary.
They’re the kind of bakery-style cookie that feels a little grown-up, with just the right amount of chocolate and a buttery crunch that makes every bite feel special. If you love chocolate chip cookies with bold flavor and real personality, these are absolutely worth baking.
They also hold up beautifully for gifting and freezing, so you can bake once and enjoy them long after the first batch disappears.
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- Unsalted butter – Use a light-colored pan so you can see when the butter browns.
Buttered Pecans
- Pecans – Pecan pieces work, but halves look better and toast more evenly.
- Unsalted butter – Coats the pecans and helps them toast.
Cookie Dough
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark adds a deeper molasses flavor. Don’t pack the measuring cup too full, these cookies are plenty sweet.
- Butter – Slightly cooled so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
- Large eggs – Extra large eggs work without adjustment.
- Vanilla extract – I bake almost exclusively with artificial vanilla extract, but use what you’re comfortable with.
- Bourbon – Use real bourbon. Don’t substitute with bourbon extract because it won’t give the same flavor.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt – I use Kosher salt.
- Baking soda – Keep a box of baking soda just for cooking, and don’t be tempted to use the box you deodorize the fridge with. Don’t ask me how I know.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon only.
- Cream of tartar – Cream of tartar can be found wherever you buy spices. It helps keep the texture of the cookies just right.
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips both work.
- Buttered pecans – From above. Cool them completely before mixing them in or your dough will be too soft.
- Flaky sea salt – For sprinkling on top before serving. Maldon sea salt is my favorite, for perfect flakes. Regular table salt won’t give the same texture or flavor.
How To Make Browned Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start by browning the butter. Add the butter to a light-colored saucepan and heat over medium-low. Let it gently simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until amber in color with brown bits forming on the bottom. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl so it doesn’t burn, and let it cool slightly.
Toast the pecans next. Add the pecan halves and butter to a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until glossy and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then roughly chop once cooled.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cooled browned butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until well combined and smooth.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and bourbon. Mix again, scraping down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cream of tartar. Mix just until a thick dough forms and no dry flour remains.
Fold in the chocolate chips and buttered pecans using a silicone spatula to avoid overmixing. Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough into even mounds. This keeps the cookies uniform so they bake evenly. Place them on the prepared baking sheets with at least 2 inches of space between each.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are just set. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while still warm, if desired.
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- Brown the butter slowly over medium heat. As soon as the milk solids turn nutty brown, take it off the heat.
- A cookie scoop makes evenly sized cookies that bake consistently.
- For thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
- Maldon flaked sea salt is my favorite for topping cookies and other dishes. It’s got nice, big flakes and is available in most large grocery stores or can be ordered online.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cookies slightly warm with a glass of milk, coffee, or a bourbon-spiked hot chocolate. They’re also excellent tucked into cookie boxes or served alongside ice cream for an easy dessert. I also love serving them alongside fall favorites like Apple Dump Cake and Pumpkin Crunch Cake. What more cookie inspiration? Check out all my cookie recipes.
Storage
Store Browned Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Browned Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Add Preferred SourceIngredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1½ cups pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 8 ounces chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling occasionally until amber with brown bits forming, about 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer it immediately to a heat-safe bowl and let it cool slightly.
- Toast the pecan halves with the other 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until glossy and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cutting board to cool and roughly chop them. Set your buttered pecans aside for later.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the cooled browned butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and well combined.
- Add the eggs, the vanilla, and the bourbon, mixing well and scraping down the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated.
- Add the flour, the baking soda, the salt, the cinnamon, and the cream of tartar, mixing just until a thick dough forms and no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and the buttered pecans with a silicone spatula to avoid overmixing.
- Portion the dough into even mounds with a large cookie scoop and place them on the prepared baking sheets with at least 2 inches between each.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are just set.
- Cool the cookies briefly on the baking sheet, transfer them to a wire rack, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt while still warm if desired.
Video
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- Brown the butter slowly over medium heat. As soon as the milk solids turn nutty brown, take it off the heat.
- A cookie scoop makes evenly sized cookies that bake consistently.
- For thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
- Maldon flaked sea salt is my favorite for topping cookies and other dishes. It’s got nice, big flakes and is available in most large grocery stores or can be ordered online.
