Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
These cookies are buttery, soft in the center, lightly crisp around the edges, and packed with chocolate chips and crunchy pecans. Toasting the pecans first adds an especially rich, nutty flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Toast the pecans: Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F (175°C) for about 5–7 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Let them cool.
- Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars: Beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2–3 minutes, until creamy and slightly fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the cookies less tender.
- Add the chocolate and pecans: Fold in the chocolate chips and cooled toasted pecans until evenly distributed.
- Shape the cookies: Scoop the dough into roughly 1½-tablespoon portions and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for approximately 9–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft. Similar recipes use short baking times to keep the centers chewy.
- Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool.
Helpful Tips
For extra-soft cookies, don’t wait until the entire surface is brown before removing them—the centers should still look slightly underdone when they come out of the oven. For an even stronger pecan flavor, toasting the nuts before adding them to the dough is a particularly useful step.
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for several days, or freeze portions of the unbaked dough so you can bake fresh cookies later.
