When you start craving cookies, these browned butter bourbon pecan chocolate chunk cookies will be like a taste of heaven.
During the holidays, I love trying new recipes and making some of my own favorite desserts to pass along as gifts to our neighbors, family, and friends. While the Christmas eggnog rum cake is a hit, this bourbon pecan cookie recipe has been lingering, just waiting to be baked.
And once you bake them… you will never go back to your old chocolate chip cookie recipe, ever again. The combination of bourbon, nutty pecans, browned butter, and bits of sea salt is sure to please [and overwhelm in the best way possible] your taste buds.
Something I’ve learned about baking some of the most delicious desserts is that 1. there are usually a lot of small steps you cannot skip and 2. it is so worth the time & effort.
Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe
Sweet, chewy, flavorful chocolate bourbon pecan cookies with the secret ingredient – browned butter.
Servings: 16
Total Time: 4.5 Hours
Ingredients
Toasted Pecans
- 1 1/2 c pecans (finely chopped)
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 c cane sugar
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 2 large eggs
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- sea salt
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Prep for Roasted Pecans
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped pecans and stir occasionally. Cook until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Prep for Browned Butter
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Continue cooking the butter occasionally stirring it. The top of the butter will become foamy and make popping noises. Slowly it will become a golden amber color. Once the butter reaches this stage and gives off a nutty aroma with brown bits in the bottom, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl immediately.
Prep for Bourbon Pecan Cookies
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk together and set aside.
- Add sugar and molasses to browned butter. Whisk mixture for about 1 minute, or until well combined.
- Add bourbon and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between.
- Using a wooden spoon, slowly add flour mixture. ONLY stir this until flour starts disappearing.
- Fold in pecans and chocolate chunks.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Cooking
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line baking sheets.
- Using a sturdy spoon, scoop out cookie dough. Roll into a ball and flatten slightly. Flattened dough should be about 2″ diameter and 3/4″ tall. Place on cookie sheet at least 3″ apart.
- Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Check for golden brown edges. If still dough like, add 1-2 minutes before checking again.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes on pan before transferring them to a wire rack.
Pro Tips
- Keep an eye on these cookies – the middle may not crinkle when they are actually ready to come out of the oven.
- Dark chocolate can be used in place of semi-sweet.
- You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate over night. It will be extra firm in the morning so let it sit a few minutes before scooping.
- If in a rush, this recipe can work with a 1 hour rest time in refrigerator however at least 4 hours is best.
- Store in an air tight container for 3 days on the counter or up to a week in the fridge.
Tell us in the comments below: What recipes have you used browned butter with before?
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