Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
A twist on traditional chip cookies, this is a one-bowl recipe you don't want to miss. They're thick and chewy, with caramel flavor from the brown sugar and crunch from the creamy pecans. Bake them directly without chilling the dough, or refrigerate/freeze for later use.
Servings 15 medium cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup pecans coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- Beat ½ cup unsalted butter with 1 cup brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy. You can use the stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric beater.
- Add 1 eggand 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well.
- Sift the dry ingredients (1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, pinch of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt) and mix at low speed until a few dry spots remain. Don’t overbeat at this point.
- Add ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips and ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped, and mix until no dry spots remain. I like to switch to a spatula for this part.
- Scoop portions of cookie dough and place them on the prepared sheets, spacing them two inches apart. Or drop by tablespoons if you don't have a cookie scoop.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are firm and cookies are golden but still soft in the center.
- Let cool completely on cooling racks or a wire rack. Keep in tins or cookie jars.
Notes
Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer placed inside the oven to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
No chilling time: You can bake these cookies directly after you mix the dough or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, well covered.
Even-sized cookies: The easiest way to get uniform cookies is to portion the dough using a cookie scoop (or a small ice cream scoop).
Make ahead and freeze: Make the cookie dough and scoop portions onto a baking sheet. You don't need to leave space between them, but make sure they're not touching. Freeze them until they're rock-solid, and then transfer them to an airtight container or plastic bag so you can recover the cookie sheet and use less space in the freezer. Bake the frozen scoops directly in a preheated oven; there is no need to thaw them.
