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These bakery-style Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are indulgence at its best. Super thick and slightly underbaked in the center, in the fashion of New York-style cookies. Flavored with brown butter, they are chock-full of chopped pecans, and chocolate chunks that form puddles of melted dark chocolate goodness. To be enjoyed warm for when you need comfort or just any time of the day.
Why you should try this recipe
- The perfect recipe for bakery-style cookie fans – thick, gooey, very generously filled with puddles of dark chocolate, and loads of pecans. They are at their best when enjoyed slightly warm with a nice cup of coffee or tea.
- Flavored with brown butter for extra nuttiness and depth of flavor. Yes, this is an extra bit of work, but so worth it!
- Indulgent and crowd-pleasing – these cookies will be a hit wherever you go! And if you need more than one indulgent chocolatey recipe, I’ve got you covered with my Chocolate Loaf Cake with Chocolate Almond Glaze, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cakes, or Fudgy Cherry Brownies (with Fresh Cherries).
The ingredients you’ll need
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the end of the post.)
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- Bittersweet dark chocolate bar (with at least 60% cacao content) – I prefer big chocolate chunks (hello chocolate puddles!) over chocolate chips, but chocolate chips work well too.
- Raw pecans – for their unique flavor and delightful nuttiness that pair so well with dark chocolate.
- Unsalted butter – look for European style or cultured butter on the label. These kinds of butter are higher in butterfat and will yield a better result for browning. It really makes a difference!
- Light brown sugar – for a subtle toffee flavor. You can swap it with brown sugar for a deeper caramel-like taste.
- Granulated sugar – helps build the texture and crust of the cookies.
- Pure vanilla extract – for a classic cookie taste.
- Free-range eggs – help create the gooey texture that we are looking for.
- All-purpose flour – for a crispy crust and gooey heart. Can be substituted with gluten-free baking flour!
- Baking soda and baking powder – I find a combination of these two leaveners works best to create well-risen, soft cookies with a beautiful crispy golden crust.
- Kosher salt – balances the sweetness of the cookies.
How to make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies? 🍪
(Note: please see the recipe card below for the complete written instructions and measurements.)
Start by chopping dark chocolate and pecans:
- Using a large kitchen knife, chop the dark chocolate and pecans to your liking (if like me, you are team “massive chunks of chocolate”, go for it!)
Brown the butter:
- In a medium saucepan or small pan, melt the butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until hazelnutty (golden brown with a hazelnut smell), about 7-8 minutes.
- As soon as the specks on the bottom of the saucepan have browned, remove from the stoves and immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) to cool down.
Note: I recommend using a light-colored saucepan or pan (I like using stainless steel). It makes it easier to see if the butter has browned.
Prepare the cookie dough:
- Add light-brown sugar and granulated sugar to the brown butter. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, mix for 1 minute.
- Add the pure vanilla extract and eggs, and mix for 30 seconds, until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredient mix to the dough and mix until just combined (do not overwork the dough).
- Add the chocolate chunks and chopped pecans and mix until combined (heads up: you’ll need a bit of elbow grease if doing it by hand!).
Shape and chill the cookies:
- Using your hands, roughly shape the dough into 3.5-ounce (100 g) balls and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper (make sure the tray fits in your fridge).
- Chill in the fridge for at least one hour and up to the next day.
- Cookie balls before chilling
- Chilled cookie balls
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Transfer the chilled cookie dough balls onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. I recommend making several batches to allow enough room for the cookies to expand.
- Bake the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 12-13 minutes until risen and golden.
Note: Just out of the oven, the cookies will be super soft to the touch: this is normal. Let them cool down for 5 minutes, then using a turner spatula, transfer them to a cooling rack.
- It’s ready! Enjoy warm with your favorite fall beverage.
Nim Keys – Useful Tips
- Browning the butter really elevates this recipe, try not to skip this step.
- I recommend using a light-colored saucepan or pan to brown the butter. It makes it easier to see if the butter has browned than with a dark-colored one.
- Removing the brown butter from the saucepan as soon as the specs are brown is very important. If left for longer in the saucepan, the butter will burn, imparting a bitter taste to the cookie dough.
- Do not overbake the cookies: these cookies should be slightly underbaked to remain gooey inside.
- Just out of the oven, the cookies will be super soft to the touch: this is normal. Let them cool down for 5 minutes, then using a turner spatula, transfer them to a cooling rack.
- These cookies are definitely at their best when enjoyed warm! Eat them out of the oven or reheat them for 3-4 minutes at 400°F (200°C) before eating!
FAQ
Yes, you can use 1 cup (200 g) of packed brown sugar. Just note that it will add a bit more moisture to the cookies, and impart a stronger caramel-like flavor.
Though I have never tested it, I believe it would work by replacing all-purpose flour with a 1:1 ratio of gluten-free baking flour.
Yes! Just leave them out completely and follow the recipe as written. It will be equally delicious!
The cookie dough needs to be chilled for at least one hour, up to an entire night. You can make the dough the day before, chill it overnight, and bake it the next day whenever you are ready to enjoy it!
How long do these Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies keep?
They can be stored, and covered on the counter for up to 4 days. I recommend enjoying them warm, it is so much tastier. To reheat them, place them in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 3-4 minutes, or until heated and soft.
Yes! Bake the cookies and let them cool down completely. Transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to a month. To reheat, no need to thaw them. Place them frozen on a parchment-lined baking tray and heat them in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 8 minutes.
Other Delicious Chocolate Recipes
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others find the recipes and discover the blog! As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
Recipe
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Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies (Thick and Gooey)
These Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are indulgence at its best. Super thick and slightly underbaked in the center, in the fashion of New York-style cookies. Flavored with brown butter, they are chock-full of chopped pecans, and chocolate chunks that form puddles of melted dark chocolate goodness. To be enjoyed warm for when you need comfort or just any time of the day.
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 15 big cookies 1x
Ingredients
10.5 ounces (300 g) of bittersweet dark chocolate bar (with at least 60% cacao content – mine had 70%)
1 and ¼ cups (200 g) of raw pecans
1 cup (220 g) of unsalted butter (preferably European style or cultured butter)
1 cup (200 g) of light brown sugar (or brown sugar, packed)
⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) of pure vanilla extract
2 free-range eggs
3 cups (375 g) of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 g) of kosher salt
Instructions
Start by chopping dark chocolate and pecans
- Using a large kitchen knife, chop the dark chocolate and pecans into chunks, to the size of your liking.
Brown the butter
- In a medium saucepan or small pan, melt the butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until hazelnutty (golden brown with a hazelnut smell), about 7-8 minutes.
- As soon as the specks on the bottom of the saucepan have browned, remove from the stoves and immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) to cool down.
Prepare the cookie dough:
- Add light-brown sugar and granulated sugar to the brown butter. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, mix for 1 minute.
- Add the pure vanilla extract and eggs, and mix for 30 seconds, until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredient mix to the mixing bowl, and mix until just combined (do not overwork the dough).
- Add the chocolate chunks and pecans and mix until combined (heads-up: you’ll need a bit of elbow grease if doing it by hand!).
Shape and chill the cookies
- Using your hands, roughly shape the dough into 3.5-ounce (100 g) balls and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper (make sure the tray fits in your fridge).
- Chill the cookie dough balls in the fridge for at least one hour (up to the next day).
Bake the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Transfer the chilled cookie dough balls onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. I recommend making several batches to allow enough room for the cookies to expand.
- Bake the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 12-13 minutes until risen, golden, and slightly underbaked.
- Let them cool down for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack with a turner spatula.
- It’s ready! Enjoy warm with your favorite fall beverage.
NIM KEYS
- Browning the butter really elevates this recipe, try not to skip this step.
- I recommend using a light-colored saucepan or pan to brown the butter (I like using stainless steel). It makes it easier to see if the butter has browned than with a dark-colored one.
- Removing the brown butter from the saucepan as soon as the specs are brown is very important. If left for longer in the saucepan, the butter will burn, imparting a bitter taste to the cookie dough.
- Do not overbake the cookies: these cookies should be slightly underbaked to remain gooey inside.
- Just out of the oven, the cookies will be super soft to the touch: this is normal. Let them cool down for 5 minutes, then using a turner spatula, transfer them to a cooling rack.
- These cookies are definitely at their best when enjoyed warm! Eat them out of the oven or reheat them for 3-4 minutes at 400°F (200°C) before eating.
- Prep Time: 30
- Chill Time: 60
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: chocolate chip pecan cookies, brown butter cookies, Ney York-style cookies, thick and gooey cookies