Dark Chocolate Brown Butter Pecan Cookies with Cinnamon Sugar

If you're looking for a perfect seasonal holiday-ish cookie recipe, this might be it! These rich chocolate chip cookies are so much more than just a chocolate chip cookie. My Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are warm and cozy with rich browned butter, toasty pecans, melty dark chocolate puddles and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top. They are so flavourful and a perfect addition to your festive cookie platter!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Brown butter cookies - the addition of brown butter really makes these cookies taste rich and nutty.

• Chewy chocolate chip cookies - these chocolate chip cookies have a wonderful chewy texture with golden caramelized edges.

• Toasted pecans - pecans and chocolate go together so well! Toasting them first really enhances the flavour too.

• Cinnamon sugar cookies - these cookies are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar just like a snickerdoodle. It's like a snickerdoodle x chocolate chip cookie hybrid and it is DELICIOUS!

INGREDIENTS FOR BROWN BUTTER PECAN COOKIES

• Brown butter - for this recipe you can use unsalted or salted butter. If you use salted butter, then reduce the added salt by half. You will also need to brown the butter which makes these cookies taste INCREDIBLE! It has a rich, nutty, butterscotch flavour that really adds so much depth and complements the pecans.

• Brown sugar - the molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a toffee-like flavour to complement the nuttiness and also gives them a chewy texture!

• Granulated sugar - this recipe uses both brown sugar and white granulated sugar. The white sugar will help them crisp up for crunchy edges.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate the brown butter flavour and it is really important in this recipe. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

• Pecans - I like to toast the pecans for this recipe. It is not necessary, but it makes them so much more flavourful. To do this, just place them in a dry frying pan over medium heat and shake them frequently until they are smelling nutty and deepened in colour. You can also place them in the oven on a baking tray while the oven is preheating. Usually by the time the oven is ready, the nuts are also ready.

• Dark chocolate chips - I use dark chocolate chips between 60% and 70% cocoa solids for a rich chocolate taste. You can use any kind you like.

• Dark chocolate chunks - I like the blend of chips and chunks for the different nice visuals it gives. You can use chunks already packaged, or for really oozy melty puddles, I like to use a 70% chocolate bar and chop it up.

• Cinnamon sugar - the cinnamon sugar sprinkle on top sets these cookies apart from other chocolate chip cookies and makes them extra special. It also feels very festive!

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Brown the butter. Place butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and then continue to cook while stirring occasionally until butter begins to bubble and crackle as the moisture boils off. Keep cooking with frequent stirring until it turns a deep golden color. A dense foam will form at the surface when it is nearly ready. Pour it into a large mixing bowl, then place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until cool and set to a firm yet pliable consistency (not hard).

• STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

• STEP 3). Cream butter and sugar. Add both sugars and to the soft browned butter and beat with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until a bit fluffy.

• STEP 4). Mix in egg. Beat in egg until incorporated and creamy smooth. Mix in milk and vanilla.

• STEP 5). Add dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until mostly incorporated, then add the dark chocolate and pecans and fold them in evenly.

• STEP 6). Chill the dough. Cover the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

• STEP 7). Make cinnamon sugar. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

• STEP 8). Bake. Scoop mounds of dough and roll into smooth balls, then place the balls onto the prepared baking sheets spacing them 2 inches apart and flatten slightly. Sprinkle a heaped ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon sugar on top and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and still soft in the middle.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will makes them dry and crumbly, and too little will cause them to spread excessively.

• Toast the pecans for extra flavour! It's really easy to do and makes such a difference.

• Let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours so that you get nice thick cookies with a chewy texture.

• Be generous with the cinnamon sugar since it will spread out as the cookies bake.

RECIPE FAQ

Can I make this recipe without brown butter?

If you do not brown the butter, then the liquid:flour ratio will be off in the recipe. I highly encourage you to follow this recipe exactly to get the full flavour that is intended, but if you choose to not brown the butter, then I would recommend adding another tablespoon or two of flour.

Can I use salted butter for these brown butter pecan cookies?

Yes! Salted butter will be fine. In this case I would suggest to cut the added salt down by half. So, that's ¼ teaspoon of salt instead of ½ teaspoon.

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

I highly recommend chilling this cookie dough since it will help with the texture and it will improve the flavour even more. Nonetheless, you can still bake these cookies right away.

How do I store these cookies?

These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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