These Pecan Cookies, are a thin buttery brown sugar cookie, full of chopped pecans, that have a delicious caramel taste. Flattened and baked until golden and crispy. You won’t be able to stop at one!
Fall has sprung in a lot of the world, but unfortunately not in Italy. We are still having 30C weather, which I am not happy about! I love the Fall and everything it brings, from Pumpkin to Broccoli to everything Apple Recipes.
So I really thought now would be the perfect time to share My Mom’s Pecan Cookie Recipe. A thin crunchy yet chewy cookie with a caramel buttery flavour, a tasty delicious cookie. I hope you like them as much as we do!
Ingredients for the Cookies
- Butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted, just add a bit more salt.
- Brown Sugar – I use golden brown, lightly packed.
- Egg – make sure the egg is room temperature
- Vanilla – to add flavour
- Flour – I like to use all purpose with a protein count of at least 11%
- Salt – adds flavour to the cookies.
- Pecans – be sure to coarsely chop them.
How to make Pecan Cookies
Coarsely chop the pecans and set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy, beat in the vanilla. Sift the flour onto the creamed mixture then combine either with the flat beater or with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
Gently stir in the chopped pecans, until combined. Either leave the dough in the bowl or move to a clean bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight if you prefer.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into 1 inch balls, place on the prepared cookie sheets.
With a flat bottomed glass, dip in flour then flatten the dough balls until they are quite thin.
Bake in the pre-heated oven until lightly golden brown. Let cool before serving.
Tips for making the best Buttery Pecan Cookies
- Be sure to use room temperature ingredients.
- Chill the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Don’t make the cookie too large, if you go by weight, my dough balls were approximately 8 grams or .3 ounces each.
- Make sure to flatten the dough until very thin with a flat bottomed glass that you dip in flour every time with every cookie. They also say if you chill the glass before using it helps to keep the cookie dough from sticking.
- Rather than using flour you might want to try dipping the glass in some cinnamon sugar before flattening.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to make Cinnamon Sugar
For every 1/2 cup of granulated sugar (or try with brown sugar) and add 2-3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Combine well in a small bowl or shake well in a small jar. Be sure to store any leftover cinnamon sugar in a tight fitting jar in damp free area. It will keep for up to a year, it will actually keep indefinitely although cinnamon may lose its flavour.
Can you use toasted pecans?
Yes you can if you want a nuttier tasting cookie, to toast them, place the pecans on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 350F (180C) oven for about 5-8 minutes. Halfway through move them around with a flat oven safe spatula, keep your eye on them as pecans burn quicker than other nuts.
Remove from the oven and place immediately in a clean bowl to cool completely, before adding to the recipe. If you leave them on the pan they will continue to bake and you definitely do not want that.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you could substitute with chopped walnuts or even hazelnuts. Or why not throw in some chocolate chips along with the nuts.
They actually taste at least to me, buttery crunchy & chewy all at the same time. Believe me, the Italian nor I could stop at just one!
Store the baked cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
They can also be frozen in a freezer safe container or bag, for up to 2 months, but frozen cookies are best eaten in a month. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. Freeze the flattened cookies on a cookie sheet then when firm move to a freezer safe bag or container. They can be baked while still frozen, they may need an extra minute or 2 to bake.
More Pecan Recipes
I hope you enjoy these Thin Crunchy Chewy Pecan Cookies as much as we did, let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Thin Crunchy Chewy Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)*
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup Pecans (coarsely chopped)
If using unsalted butter then add 2 pinches of salt.
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes, beat in the vanilla.
- Sift the flour onto the creamed mixture and combine either with the flat beaters until combined or with a spatula or wooden spoon. Gently stir in chopped pecans, mix until combined, do not over mix. Either leave the dough in the bowl or move to a clean bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour or even overnight. (cookie dough will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge).
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180 C), line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into 1 inch balls (mine weighed approximately 8 grams or .3 ounces each) place on the prepared cookie sheets, 2-3 inches apart, then with a flat bottomed glass, dipped in flour, flatten the dough balls until they are quite thin, a little thicker than pastry dough (see photos).
- Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool on the pan for approximately 10 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Sue says
Outstanding!!!!! So easy to make as well.
Rosemary says
Hi Sue, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. Take care!
Liz Anderson says
These cookies turned out totally delicious!!! I only had 1/2 cup of brown sugar, so used 1 cup of pure cane sugar (which was a lot like sanding sugar). I put in a little more pecans ( I LOVE pecans), and added 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips. Ohmygosh!!! They are not too sweet, and sooo good! Crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle. Awesome recipe!
Rosemary says
Hi Liz, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Have a great weekend, take care!
Adam says
Guess I over-cooked them by a minute or two.. pulled them out at 12mins but didn’t look done so put them back in for a couple more.. came out rock hard.. taste good though
Rosemary says
Hi Adam, yes they will continue to bake for a bit once they are out of the oven and still on the hot pan. Glad you liked the taste though. 🙂
Ruth K. says
when I first pulled the dough out of the fridge I was disappointed-very dry and took some pressure to get the butter to wick through what I initially thought was too much flour. I went back and reviewed the recipe a few times, thinking I must have left something out! Decided to proceed with just a few cookies and see how they turned out-fantastic! My husband is a crunchy cookie person and he can’t get enough pecans, so this recipe is perfect for him. They are buttery and crunchy around the edges, with a bit of caramel softness just in the very center. I will make them again.
Rosemary says
Hi Ruth, thanks so much, so glad it worked out and you liked them. Take care.
Jim from NY says
Easy to make and taste is fine but cookies are extremely hard and overly sugary. Will pass on this recipe going forward.
Laura says
Delicious cookies. My family loves them! I made several batches to give as Christmas gifts.
Rosemary says
Thanks so much Laura, glad everyone enjoys them. Merry Christmas.
catie says
Have you ever tried these with chocolate chips?
Rosemary says
Hi Catie, no I haven’t but I am sure they would be really good. Let me know if you try it.
Mary JO says
OMG these are like having pecan flavored short bread! I mixed the ingredients are written and then rolled the batter into a long roll wrapped in wax paper (plastic wrap would work too) and rolled the log in turbinado sugar. Cooled the log and sliced and baked. So easy and totally delicious. Put some ice cream between 2 cookies and you have an amazing ice cream sandwich! THANK YOU.
Rosemary says
Hi Mary Jo, thanks so much, that’s a great idea and I must try them as an ice cream sandwich. Take care.
Pam Blacker says
I just made these with peanuts, chocolate and peanut butter chips and they turned out fantastic! Thanks for the recipe, Rosemary!
Rosemary says
Hi Pam, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Have a great weekend.
Melissa says
Did not have good outcome. Crunchy around edges sorta but more like a praline gooey in the middle
Rosemary says
Hi Melissa, I just remade the cookies, and I think that you didn’t flatten them, because as thin as they are they do bake without any gooey middle. 🙂