Butter Pecan Cookies Brown Butter (Printable)

Nutty cookies with browned butter, toasted pecans, and a sprinkle of sea salt for balance.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brown Butter

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter

→ Cookies

02 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

→ Finishing

10 - Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

# How-To:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking, swirling often, until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and has a nutty aroma, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
02 - While the butter cools, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool completely, then chop coarsely.
03 - To the cooled brown butter, add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Fold in toasted pecans.
05 - Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough, approximately 2 tablespoons per cookie, onto the sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
06 - Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until edges are golden and centers appear just set. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Brown butter gives these cookies a sophisticated depth that regular butter simply can't match, and people always ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • The contrast between sweet cookie and flaky sea salt is genuinely addictive—it's the kind of detail that turns a good cookie into one people request.
  • They're easy enough to make on a weeknight but impressive enough to bring somewhere and actually feel proud.
02 -
  • Watch your brown butter carefully because the line between gorgeously brown and burnt is shorter than you think—once it smells nutty and looks golden, it's done.
  • Don't skip cooling the brown butter or you'll partially cook the eggs and end up with scrambled bits in your dough, which I discovered the unfortunate way on my third attempt.
  • Room temperature eggs aren't just a suggestion—cold eggs won't blend smoothly and you'll end up with a more crumbly dough that doesn't hold together as well.
03 -
  • Use a thermometer or just trust your nose—when brown butter smells nutty and golden, it's perfect; any darker and you've crossed from brown into burnt.
  • Scoop dough portions and let them chill on the baking sheet for a few minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm, so they don't spread too thin.
  • The flaky sea salt is the detail that makes people stop and ask questions—don't leave it off or you'll miss the magic that makes these cookies sing.
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