Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Crinkled on the edges, warm and gooey in the middle, and oh so delicious…these Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies are the perfect cookies to make this weekend. Made with browned butter, toasted pecans, and bourbon, then lightly sweetened for a cookie that’s rich in flavor and heavy on the chocolate. Every bite is slightly crisp on the edges but soft and chewy in the center with just a little crunch from those sweet bourbon pecans…so DELICIOUS! Absolutely nothing not to love about these wrinkly, crinkly, sweet pecan cookies. Easy to make and fun for all occasions….especially the Derby!
I know I say this often, but Fridays are made ten times better with cookies…always, always.
The classic chocolate chip cookie can do no wrong and only makes life better, happier…and much more satisfying. I know you know what I’m talking about, cookies are just GOOD. I’m not sure why, but I’ve really been on a HUGE cookie kick this year. Maybe it’s because most are easy to make. Or maybe it’s because cookies bring back the best memories for me. Or maybe it’s just because the world simply needs more cookies this year. Either way, I’m loving cookies.
But these cookies? You guys these cookies are really everything I love the most. They remind me more of the fall than spring, but it’s OK because with the Kentucky Derby this weekend I gave myself a pass and decided that we could indeed make pecan cookies in April.
And really (yes, this is dramatic), these cookies are magical.
The inspiration
The inspiration was really simple….the Kentucky Derby is tomorrow. And while I’m not sure I’ve ever watched the entire two-minute race live, I know some people who LOVE to celebrate the day with friends and good food (yes, you Cortney!). I also think it’s a fun excuse to celebrate something that isn’t a holiday but that you really enjoy.
Immediately when I think of the Derby, I think bourbon and pecans. So last week I put this idea together in my head. I wasn’t positive if I should make them or not, but I’m sure glad I did.
The process to the (almost) perfect cookie
I say almost, because I don’t really believe anything is perfect, but these are pretty darn close.
There are three key steps to these cookies…
I feel like the browned butter is obvious. I like to brown half of the butter, but leave the other half at room temp. This gives you the flavor of browned butter but leaves you with a cookie that has a great texture too. It also highlights the malted flavors. I know it’s an extra step, but the browned butter really does add so much to these cookies. In my view, it’s an extra step worth taking.
Second, the bourbon brown sugar pecans. It’s not a usual cookie ingredient but it’s what really sets these cookies apart. The pecans get toasted with brown sugar and bourbon which gives them a rich sweetness. If you’ve never had bourbon with your pecans, it a marriage of flavors that is so delicious.
And then, the bourbon itself, which is both on the pecans and in the cookies. It’s not like these cookies taste like bourbon, because they don’t. The bourbon provides a very rich and delicious flavor with subtle notes of both bourbon and vanilla.
The details…
Like most cookies, these are EASY. Toast the pecans together with brown sugar and bourbon. Then brown the butter, let cool, and simply mix everything together. Then bake, eat, and enjoy.
As I do with almost all my cookies, these need a tap on the counter to create that crinkly type of cookie during both the middle and the end of baking.
Aside from browning the butter and tapping the baking sheet, the rest is is easy. When the cookies come out of the oven, the pockets of melted chocolate will be bubbling up and the kitchen will smell, nutty, buttery, and oh so delicious. Almost like Thanksgiving, because these really do remind me of pecan pie.
I of course love to eat these warm, right off the pan, with a sprinkle of sea salt atop.
And oh my gosh, every last bite is delicious. It’s truly hard to beat a good chocolate chip cookie, but these certainly give the others a little run for their money They would be so fun for the Derby…but also any other day of the year. It’s the crinkly edges, deep bourbon-vanilla flavor, and pockets of melted chocolate.
DELICIOUS!
Happy Friday guys, enjoy!
Looking for a few other fun cookie ideas? Try these…
Healthier Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Snickerdoodle Peanut Butter Chocolate Chex Mix Bars
Lastly, if you make these Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Crinkled on the edges, warm and gooey in the middle, and oh so delicious!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw pecans
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 tablespoon, plus 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- flaky sea salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
-
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, combine the pecans, 1 tablespoon bourbon, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes, until toasted. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roughly chop the pecans.
2. Meanwhile, add 1 stick of butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining stick of butter, the cooled browned butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and the granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs - 1 at a time, until combined. Add 1 tablespoon bourbon and the vanilla, beating until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chunks and chopped pecans. If you dough is sticky, add 2 tablespoons flour.
4. Roll the dough into 2 tablespoon size balls and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each dough ball.
5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 2-4 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky salt (if desired). Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
Freezing: the cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, then bake as directed.
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I love your recipes! I can’t wait to try these. What is the chocolate brand that you use?
Thanks so much Sue! I like using Chocolove! Let me know how the recipe turns out. xTieghan
you had me at Brown Butter! YUM! looks fantastic, can’t wait to try!
Thanks so much, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hi! Would whiskey work instead of Bourbon?
Hey Amanda,
Sure, whiskey would be just fine to use! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wow wow wow. Made these tonight and they are delicious!!
Hey Jessica,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend:) xxTieghan
Hi can I use walnuts instead of pecan? I have all the ingredients except for pecan
Hey Holly,
Sure, walnuts would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These did not flatten out at all while baking, and the tapping down of the cookie sheets didn’t help with the flattening either. I followed the recipe exactly. Now I have puffy little cookies instead of the flat beauties I was hoping for. Any idea why they puffed up?
Hey Heather,
So sorry to hear this, did you gently press the dough down before baking? Was there anything you may have adjusted? Let me know! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Made these and I ran into the same issue as the previous reader. They did not flatten and turned out more on the cakey side. Still delicious but any tips on how to get them similar to yours?
Hey there,
So sorry to hear this, did you bang the pan on the counter multiple times? This is really key for getting the cookies to flatten:) xTieghan
Hi there, I had the same issue as some of the other reviewers with the cookies being cakey. I pressed the dough when forming the cookies and I tapped the pan mid baking and after baking to deflate but still cakey. I’m curious if it’s an altitude thing. I live in LA where the altitude is around 300’ and I know it’s much higher in Colorado. I’ve tried your baking recipes before and I always have the same issue. It’s a bummer cause your recipes look so delicious but I can’t get the baked goods to ever turn out the same and I feel like it’s gotta be an altitude thing?? Curious if you have thoughts on this. Thanks and take care! 💗
Hey Katelyn,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am sorry you had issues with them. I don’t ever adjust recipes for the altitude. I always cook/bake as if I was at sea level. When baking, I always under-bake by a few minutes and I find this “fixes” most issues that can be caused from the altitude. So this really shouldn’t be an issue for you. Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
These ended up so delicious! Mine were more thick and still cakey at the end even after tapping both times, they weren’t flattening either times? Maybe dough was just too thick to begin with? Either way will make again!
Hey Lauren,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I would try the tapping trick a few more times to really get them to flatten. I hope this helps! xTieghan
When I made these although delicious, they came out thicker and more cake like. I didn’t adjust anything and followed instructions to flatten. Maybe the dough balls were too big to begin with? Not sure but they were still great!
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! Did you try the tapping trick? xTieghan
Tieghan, I am an experienced baker and I made these today completely following your recipe. I didn’t over mix the batter, and I followed all your baking instructions completely.
Much to my dismay my cookies came out puffy and cake like. I used chocolate chunks not chocolate chips and the chunks did not pool.
The flavor was great but my texture and overall look of the cookie was completely different. I have your first cookbook and I know your recipes are phenomenal. In my heart I know I didn’t do anything to deviate from this recipe, I just can’t for the life of me figure out what I could’ve done wrong. I know it’s hard because you weren’t here with me but if you have any thoughts I would appreciate it thank you.
Hey there,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I am sorry they did not turn out to your liking. Did you bang the pan on the counter to help flatten the cookies? As for the chocolate, I would try a different brand since all chocolate melts differently, I really like Chocolove. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
After reading others’ comments about cakey cookies, I decided to look up a reference I remembered from years ago from Martha Stewart. I am NOT a fan of cakey cookies 🙂
https://www.marthastewart.com/1099220/crispy-cakey-or-chewy-how-do-you-your-chocolate-chip-cookies
Making the bourbon pecan cookies now, I added another 1/4 cup of brown sugar and almost 1/4 cup of granulated sugar because I like chewy cookies. Dough is chilling in fridge right now, since I like to make dough ahead of baking time. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
This reference above might be helpful to other bakers.
Thanks Tieghan!
Thanks for sharing Amy!!
I made these over the weekend and the bourbon really adds a nice touch! A fantastic recipe that I’ll make pretty often.
Hey Karen,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I found these were not quite sweet enough…But that may be because I used dark chocolate? Mine also did not “flatten”, so would maybe use less baking soda next time? Caramelizing the pecans makes for nice texture, but can’t say I could taste the bourbon in the final product. Regardless, they were eaten with much gusto and gone within 24 hours!
Hey Channy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry these were not sweet enough for you. Did you try the tapping trick? xTieghan
These cookies are decadent and absolutely delicious! I read the reviews beforehand and adjusted the recipe according to the post shared about Martha Stewart’s tricks. They turned out perfectly! I can’t stop eating them! Thanks for another keeper recipe!
Hey Chantelle,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Yes, I tapped the cookie sheet as directed. I totally followed your recipe. I see that others also had their cookies turn out cakey, therefore, those of us that had this issue have done the same thing wrong, only
we do not know what that is…
Sorry, it is really hard to say without seeing the cookies and actually being in the kitchen with you!
Yes, I tapped the cookie sheet and followed all your directions. It seems as though others have had their cookies turn out cakey. Some of us have made the same mistake, just wish we could pin point it.
Thank you.
I am going to give these a try. I make a really good chocolate cookie now, but I like this approach. As a caterer, I weigh everything I can. I see a lot of comments about cakey cookies. If you measure the flour without weighing, the difference is weight can be considerable, depending on whether you dip or sift the cup. I even find a difference in the winter in CT, when I have to reduce the amount of flour by 10-15% to allow for the lack of moisture present in colder weather compared to the summer.
Thanks Deane, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
ADDICTING. The pecans are addicting. This recipe is top notch. Followed it with one exception: I increased the amount of white sugar – to 3/4 cup – based on other comments here. I see that people have said their cookies are turning out cakey, so after looking at the ingredient list, I thought maybe the reason was too much flour compared to sugar. I consulted other recipes I use, and thought increasing the sugar would help. They turned out soft and gooey – perfect. (I think cookies, unlike people, CAN be perfect!) Thank you Tieghan! Keep the browned butter bourbon recipes flowing.
Hey Cindy,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
These look lovely – cant wait to make
Can you recommend a sturdy dough scooper please
Hey Keren,
Here is the link for my cookie scoop:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CDVD2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kKJ5EbPCAMBHT
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan