Description
Butter pecan cookies offer a delightful Southern-style treat with rich, nutty flavors. Crumbly, sweet morsels pair perfectly with coffee or tea, providing a comforting dessert experience you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (230 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g / 5.3 oz) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g / 5.8 oz) brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g / 9.9 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 ½ cups (150 g / 5.3 oz) chopped pecans, toasted
Instructions
- Roasting Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F and spread pecans on a baking sheet, toasting until fragrant and golden brown, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Creaming Butter: Whip softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until fluffy, then blend in eggs one at a time, creating a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl, ensuring even distribution of dry components.
- Dough Assembly: Fold roasted pecans into the butter mixture, gently incorporating them while maintaining their structural integrity, then combine with dry ingredients to form a cohesive dough.
- Chilling Process: Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and butter to firm up, which enhances the cookies’ texture and prevents excessive spreading.
- Baking Procedure: Line baking sheets with parchment paper, shape chilled dough into uniform balls, spacing them appropriately, and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden and centers remain slightly soft.
- Cooling and Storage: Transfer cookies to a wire rack immediately after removing from the oven, allowing them to cool completely before storing in an airtight container to preserve their crisp texture and nutty flavor.
Notes
- Roast Pecans Carefully: Toast pecans slowly to prevent burning, watching closely for golden-brown color and releasing maximum nutty flavor.
- Chill Dough Effectively: Refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor development and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Control Butter Temperature: Use room temperature butter for smooth mixing, ensuring even incorporation without overmixing the dough.
- Manage Cookie Size Consistently: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to create uniform cookie sizes, promoting even baking and professional appearance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg