I realize you may be nearing sugar overload, but you need to make these cookies for Santa!! 😉 We had our cookie exchange last night, and it was a big success! Per the usual, I didn’t get any good pictures of all the cookies (I was too busy eating and dividing up everyone’s cookies haha!). I was last minute deciding what cookies to make this year, but finally settled on these Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Toasted Pecans and they were soo good! I loved the caramel flavor of the brown butter with the toasted pecans and dark chocolate chunks. They have the perfect texture too – slightly crisp edges with chewy centers! Give them a try. I know you’ll love them. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk (both at room temperature)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup dark chocolate chunks*
1. Place butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until butter turns to a light, caramel color. It will smell nutty and you will see little brown bits at the bottom. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. Once the butter has cooled slightly (it’ll still be hot after 15 minutes) you can began to make your cookie dough.
3. In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine brown sugar and white sugar. Mix sugars together on low speed for a few minutes, just to get them mixed together. Slowly and carefully (butter is still hot) pour browned butter into the sugar mixture. Continue mixing on medium speed. Slowly add in both the egg & egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until thoroughly combined. Dough will be dark brown in color and have a slick, wet texture.
4. Add in your dry ingredients; flour, baking soda & salt and continue mixing until the dough forms. Add in chocolate chunks and chopped pecans and continue mixing until chocolate and pecans are thoroughly distributed throughout the dough. Chill dough for 2-3 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a #60 cookie dough scoop (or spoon) place dough on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Then, move to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen small cookies.
Note: I used a cup of chopped chocolate from a Trader Joe’s dark chocolate pound plus bar.
*adapted from Just Add Sprinkles
