These irresistibly soft and chewy Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are ideal when a cookie craving hits. They take about 15 minutes to prepare and are packed with toasted pecans and plenty of chocolate chips. Expect a new family-favorite cookie you’ll come back to again and again.
Few things beat freshly baked, homemade chocolate chip cookies. These chocolate chip pecan cookies combine a soft, chewy center with toasty pecan crunch and a sweet-salty nuttiness from the toasted nuts.
If you enjoy chocolate chip cookies, you might also like variations like peppermint chip cookies or a small-batch version. These cookies pair well with other favorites such as Nutella thumbprint cookies, key lime cookies or cake-mix chocolate cookies when you want more baking inspiration.
Why You Will Love These Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies:
- Soft and chewy texture. The chewiness comes from using melted butter and chilling the dough. Cornstarch adds tenderness and a bit of lift, while brown sugar keeps the cookies moist.
- A simple twist on a classic. Toasted pecans add sweet, nutty crunch and a pleasant salty contrast to the melty chocolate.
- Loaded with mix-ins. These cookies are full of chocolate chips and generous chunks of toasted pecans for maximum flavor and texture.
- Freezer friendly. You can freeze the dough or the finished cookies for quick baking or snacking later.
Recipe Ingredients:
- Pecans: Use raw pecans, chopped or halved and toasted for the best flavor.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred. If using salted, reduce added salt by half.
- Sugars: A combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can substitute for a deeper flavor.
- Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature yield the best results.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour, measured by weight if possible, or spooned and leveled.
- Baking soda: Use fresh baking soda for proper rise.
- Sea salt: Preferred for flavor balance, though table salt will work.
- Cornstarch: Adds softness—don’t skip it if you can.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet is recommended, but use milk or dark if you prefer.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Toast the pecans. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, toast chopped pecans for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Cool before adding to the dough so they don’t melt the chocolate chips.
- While toasting pecans, melt the butter and let it cool slightly. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients. Combine the melted butter with both sugars and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and the cooled toasted pecans.
- Chill the dough. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours or up to 2 days. For a short chill (30 minutes), add 1/4 cup extra flour to reduce spreading; longer chilling yields thicker, chewier cookies.
- Shape and bake. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls (rolling helps them spread less). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 9–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Centers may look soft but will set as they cool.
- Cool the cookies on the sheet for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Weigh your flour if possible. If you don’t have a scale, aerate the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife. Scooping directly can pack too much flour and make dry cookies.
- Check your baking soda. Fresh baking soda helps the cookies rise properly.
- Chill the dough. Because this recipe uses melted butter, chilling is essential for texture and to prevent excessive spreading.
- Underbake slightly. Pull the cookies when the edges are golden even if the centers look soft—the cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Gluten-free note. The recipe hasn’t been fully tested with gluten-free flour, though many 1:1 blends work well in similar cookie recipes.
Storage Instructions:
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. Adding a slice of white bread to the container helps keep them soft. To freeze baked cookies, cool completely and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Freezing the dough:
Scoop and roll dough into balls, arrange on a tray and flash-freeze for about 2 hours. Transfer to a sealed freezer container and store up to 3 months. Thaw completely before baking, or bake from frozen adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time if needed.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Variations:
Try these simple variations to change up the flavor:
- Swap chocolate chips for dark or milk chocolate, or add chopped chocolate for a rustic look.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top after baking for a sweet-salty contrast.
- Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder for a subtle mocha note.
- Stir in M&Ms for a festive twist, or add sprinkles for color.
- Fold in dried cranberries or raisins for a fruity touch.
Other Cookie Recipes:
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
- Lucky Charm Cookies
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Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (340 g)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks), slightly cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Note: This cookie dough needs to be chilled.
- Toast pecans in a skillet over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until fragrant; cool completely.
- Whisk together flour, sea salt, baking soda and cornstarch. Beat melted butter with sugars until smooth, then add eggs and vanilla.
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
- Chill dough at least 2 hours (up to 2 days). For a quick 30-minute chill, add 1/4 cup extra flour to reduce spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop 1½ tablespoon portions, roll into balls, place 2 inches apart on parchment and bake 9–12 minutes until edges are golden.
- Cool on the sheet 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
Notes
- Weigh flour for the best results, or spoon and level flour when measuring by volume.
- Chilling the dough is essential for texture and to prevent excessive spreading because the recipe uses melted butter.
- Pull cookies from the oven when edges are golden; centers may appear soft but will firm up as they cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 205 kcal, Carbohydrates: 25 g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 11 g. Nutrition is approximate.
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