Pecan Brown Sugar Cookies

These Pecan Brown Sugar Cookies are a delicious alternative to regular Sugar Cookies, fast, easy and so good. Made with only 6 ingredients and baked in 20 minutes. Why not add them to your Holiday cookie plate!?

Whenever I went home for a visit a bag of brown sugar was always in my suitcase for the return back. Brown sugar as I know it is not available in Italy. Sometimes I would bring back a carton of molasses also so I could make my own homemade brown sugar.

I would mix about 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2-1 tablespoon of molasses and just like that I would have my own Homemade Brown Sugar! I needed it just so I could make these tasty cookies.

Recipe Ingredients

• Butter – softened, I use salted butter, if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt
• Brown Sugar – light brown sugar
• Egg – large room temperature
• Vanilla extract
• Flour – all purpose flour at least 11% protein
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Pecans – toasted this will give the cookies more flavor, you can substitute with hazelnut, walnuts or even almonds.

Extras

• Chocolate – your choice of dark or milk for drizzling or spreading on the cookies if desired

How to make Brown Sugar Cookies

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the mixing bowl with the flat beaters beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and beat 1-2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until mixed. Fold in the pecans.

Drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls on the prepared cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until when lightly touched in the centre no indentation remains.

Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

How to roast nuts

Place nuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking / cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350F (180C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until they are golden brown, remove immediately from the baking sheet to a clean bowl to cool. Leaving them on the baking sheet could cause them to bake even more or burn.

How to melt chocolate

There are various ways to melt chocolate:
You can use a double boiler, it has a pan on the bottom with water in it, and a heat-resistant bowl on top, which holds the chocolate.

The pan that has a small amount of water in the bottom has about a half inch to inch of space between the water and top bowl. The bottom pan is heated on a low setting over a period of time to heat the chocolate above.

You can heat the chocolate directly in a heat-resistant bowl. Heat at 50% power in 30 second increments, and stir each time until melted.

Do not overheat chocolate, as it has a tendency to burn/scorch easily. Low and slow is best when heating and melting chocolate.

Tip

To make your chocolate smooth for drizzling, you can add a small amount of shortening and melt.

If you are dipping your cookies in chocolate, allow for any excess to fall off back into the bowl. If desired, you could then dip the cookies in sprinkles for added decoration, or in crushed pecans. Allow to set on a cooling rack or wax paper.

What does brown sugar do to cookies?

Brown sugar can allow for more spreading in the process of baking. It also creates a moist and chewy cookie.

How to store the cookies

Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last up to 3-4 days at room temperature. Refrigerating sugar cookies will dry them out and make them hard.

How to freeze them

You can either freeze the cookie dough, wrap it well in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe container or bag. The dough will last up to 3 months. To make it even easier you can freeze the cookie dough balls.

Place the balls on a cookie and freeze until firm, then move the frozen cookie balls into a container or bag. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. They can be baked from frozen, just add a couple of minutes longer to the baking time.

Freeze the completely cooled cookies in a freezer safe container. They will keep for up to 3-6 months in the freezer.

They’re so delicious and they’re even better since I started to drizzle some semi-sweet chocolate over them. So I hope these brown sugar cookies bring you a little bit of the comfort and good feelings that they brought me. Enjoy!

More Sugar Cookie Recipes to try

• Soft Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies
• Crunchy Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
• Cut Out Powdered Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Brown Sugar Bars

Updated from August 14, 2016.