Brown Butter Pecan Praline Cookies

Updated: Dec 13, 2025 by christina.marsigliese · 51 Comments

These Brown Butter Pecan Praline Cookies are so rich, caramely and delicious that they are almost like eating a piece of artisan candy. They are ultra chewy with deeply caramelized edges that are nearly toffee-like. There is so much depth and complex flavor from nutty brown butter, candied pecans and creamy milk chocolate. These incredibly addictive cookies are perfect for a holiday cookie tray and for gifting as they stay very chewy even days after making them. If you love making cookies with brown butter, I recommend my most popular Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and these Brown Butter Pecan Cookies.

brown butter pecan praline cookies piled up on table

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Rich brown butter cookies - these cookies have a intense, rich buttery flavor that is complex from the nutty and caramel-like flavors produced from browning butter. You really do taste brown butter here, so the effort is not lost in this recipe.
Chewy texture - you will love the chewy texture these have which contrasts the crunchy edges.
Caramelized pecans - you will make candied pecans for the praline part of the recipe. You only need 2 ingredients and it is so simple. The pecans toast as they caramelize too so it's a double win! These are incredibly addictive on their own, so make a double batch! I always eat most of them before I even get to use in them in a recipe.
Milk chocolate chunks - I love to add creamy milk chocolate which complements the pecans and brown butter so nicely.

top view of brown butter pecan praline cookies piled up on table

INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter - you can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. If you choose salted butter, I recommend reducing the added salt by almost half, so you will use about a heaped ¼ teaspoon. Or, you can just leave the salt as is and they will be extra rich! You will brown the butter for this recipe. Browning butter is a technique common in French cooking called "beurre noisette". It translates to "hazelnut butter" since the butter actually takes on nutty flavors once it is browned. It adds incredible depth of flavor to these cookies.
All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works just fine in this recipe to make cookies with a chewy texture.
Brown sugar - this recipe calls for brown sugar and white sugar. Brown sugar which adds a hint of butterscotch flavor to complement the pecans and brown butter, and it also helps to create chewy cookies. You can use light or dark brown, but I prefer light brown in this recipe so it doesn't overpower the other flavors.
Granulated sugar - white sugar will caramelize to create intensely crisp and candy-like edges.
Eggs - one large egg will bind this cookie dough.
Milk - a little bit of milk replaces the moisture lost by browning the butter so the cookie dough is still soft and pliable instead of brittle.
Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will enhance all cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
Pecans - use raw pecans to make the praline since they will toast up as they caramelize when you cook them with the sugar.
Milk chocolate - I like to add milk chocolate chunks to make these extra special. Feel free to use dark chocolate or omit them if you prefer.

HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER

If you've never made brown butter, you MUST try it. It adds amazing complexity and richness in the form of nutty, caramel-like flavors that enhances many recipes. You can follow my full tutorial and video here to learn how to make brown butter.

STEP 1). First melt your butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Make sure to use a stainless steel saucepan so you can see what's happening. If you use a dark pan it may be difficult to monitor the change in color.
STEP 2). Once melted, let the butter come to a simmer. It will crackly as it boils. This is the sound of the water content (approximately 15%) evaporating out. Stir the butter constantly as it melts to ensure it cooks evenly and so the brown bits don't catch at the bottom. Stirring will bring them up to the surface above the foam so you can watch the color change.
STEP 3). As the moisture evaporates, the butter will start to foam. This is the point when the browning starts to happen. Keep stirring the butter. Keep a close eye on the butter and DO NOT WALK AWAY.
STEP 4). Eventually the crackling will settle down and the foam on the surface will become very dense to the point that you cannot see the clear butterfat beneath it. The foam will turn golden and as you stir you should see little brown flecks coming up into the pan. This is the sign that you are done! The butter will turn a golden color and you'll know it's done by the smell... it will have a toasted, caramelized and nutty aroma.
STEP 5). Immediately pour it out into a clean bowl and let it cool before using it in the recipe.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). Brown the butter. Follow my steps to brown butter here.
STEP 2). Cool the butter. Immediately pour the hot brown butter off into a clean bowl. You should be left with golden yellow liquid butter and lots of nutty brown flecks. Let it cool until for 20-30 minutes until it reaches room temperature. It does not need to be firm (it may still be liquid) but if the butter is hot, the cookie dough will be greasy.
STEP 3). Mix butter and sugar. Once cooled, add brown sugar and vanilla and mix to combine.
STEP 4). Mix in egg and milk. Add the egg and mix well until smooth, glossy and the mixture lightens in color by a shade. Then, mix in milk.
STEP 5). Add dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add this to the butter mixture and fold it in until mostly combined but there are still some streaks of flour visible.
STEP 6). Fold in praline and chocolate. Add chopped pecan praline and milk chocolate chunks and fold them in evenly.
STEP 7). Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
STEP 8).Bake. Use a 1 ½-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Place them onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 9-11 minutes until browned on the edges and lightly golden on top.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

Let the brown butter cool. If the brown butter is too hot when you add the sugar and other ingredients, then it will not incorporate evenly the cookie dough will be greasy.
Measure flour accurately. Too much flour can make these cookies more hard and crumbly instead of chewy. They will also crumble when you slice the dough if it is too dry. For the best results, weigh your flour using a kitchen scale.
Use a light colored pan to make the praline. I use this stainless steel saucepan to make small batches of praline. It conducts heat quickly and evenly, and the light color allows you too see the color of the sugar as it turns to caramel so you don't burn it.
Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet. The caramelized edges are soft and delicate while warm so let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring them to a rack to continue cooling.

brown butter pecan praline cookie with bite

RECIPE FAQ

Do I need to cool brown butter before baking?

Brown butter can add depth flavor to so many desserts, but not all recipes can receive it equally. In cake batters, it is best to incorporated it while still slightly warm and fluid or let it cool until firm and blend it with softened butter if using the "creaming" method. For cookies, I like to let the browned butter cool to above room temperature so that it is still fluid but not hot. This allows the butter to incorporate evenly with the other ingredients. Very hot brown butter will create a greasy dough and overly greasy cookies, whereas fully chilled brown butter is brittle and can lead to a dry, crumbly cookie dough that is difficult to work with.

What is a substitute for pecans?

You can also make the praline with another soft nut, such as walnuts or cashews.

How to decorate brown butter pecan praline cookies?

I can highly recommend a sprinkle of flaky salt on top while the cookies are still warm.

How do I store brown butter pecan praline cookies?

You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Can you freeze brown butter pecan praline cookies?

Yes! You can freeze these cookies after they cool completely. Place the cooled cookies in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

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