Featured Recipe

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Name: Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 48 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups unsalted butter softened; 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

By Kate

Created on 03 February 2026

Butter and sugars creamed to a fluffy base. Eggs and pure vanilla stirred in. Flour blended with salt and baking soda for rising power. Chocolate chips and toasted pecans fold in last. Chill dough for chewier, thicker results. Or bake fresh for crisp edges. Bake until edges turn buttery-golden, center still tender. Rest on pan for slight firming then cool fully on rack. Store airtight to keep texture intact. Substitutes: browned butter for depth, maple extract for subtle twist. Use walnuts if pecans dodge your pantry. Watch dough scoop size; too big means underbaked middle.

Prep: 18 min

Cook: 14 min

Total: 32 min

Serves: 48 servings

cookies pecans chocolate baking dessert

Introduction

That crackling hit when chopping pecans—good sign. Warm nutty scent fills kitchen early. Butter must be soft not melting, helps sugars trap air; fluffier cookie. Brown sugar for moisture, granulated for snap. Eggs bind but keep too much air out. Flour needs sifting to avoid lumps, salt wakes up flavor, baking soda lifts gently. Watch dough texture, too loose = flat slabs. Chocolate chips melt slowly, offering gooey pockets. Nuts add crunch, toast them first to crack out oils, amplify aroma. Chill dough to firm fat, slows spread for thicker bites. Baking—edges gold, centers intact but soft. Patience on the rack finishes the job—hot cookies break, cool cookies snap with a clean bite.

Ingredients

2 cups unsalted butter softened

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

About the ingredients

Butter can swap for browned butter for toasty depth if you’re up to it—cool before mixing to avoid melting eggs. Sugars adjusted here favor brown for chewiness, granulated for bite. Vanilla extract is gold, but try almond or even maple for subtle twists that change memory. Flour variations affect spread, pastry or bread types mess texture; stick to all-purpose. Pecans toasted in 350° oven ten minutes on sheet, stirring halfway; flavor explosion, no bitterness. If nut allergy or none on hand, walnuts are closest in texture and flavor. Baking soda essential for light rise; baking powder won’t mimic the exact crumb.

Method

Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Line baking sheet with silicon mat or parchment well oiled or greased to prevent sticking.

In large bowl cream butter at room temp with sugars until mixture light and fluffy. Avoid overmixing after adding eggs.

Add eggs one at a time with vanilla, blend until homogeneous but don't aerate too much. Too much air means cookie will flatten.

In separate bowl, sift flour combine salt and baking soda. Gradually add this dry mix into wet batter, scraping bowl edges often. Mixing just until flour disappears.

Stir in chips and nuts by hand. Don't overmix - that'll develop gluten, toughening cookies.

For denser, chewier texture chill dough minimum 40 minutes or up to 2 hours. Skip and bake at once for thinner cookies with crisp edges.

Scoop dough with heaping tablespoon measure. Space cookies with at least 2.5 inches apart - they spread.

Bake on middle rack 12 to 14 minutes. Look for edges turning golden brown, centers set but not dry, slight jiggle still visible.

Cool cookies on sheet 7 minutes to firm. Then transfer carefully to wire rack to cool completely. Warm cookies more fragile.

Store airtight at room temperature. Crisp loses after day two, reheat briefly to restore texture. No fridge needed or texture changes.

Technique Tips

Creaming butter and sugars right sets crumb foundation; beat until pale and fluffy but stop before warm grease separates. Add eggs slowly, mix until combined but avoid whipping air. Mixing dry ingredients in separately ensures even distribution of salt and soda, avoids pockets that cause uneven rise. Scrape bowl edges often to avoid flour pockets. Fold chips and nuts gently; overmix toughens dough. Chilling is optional but recommended for controlled spread, especially if you want chew not thin snap. Scoop dough uniform for even baking. Oven temp and rack position crucial - middle rack to avoid burning bottoms or raw centers. Watch visual cues over timer; cookies continue cooking on hot sheet off heat, doing otherwise leaves crumble or raw center. Cooling on wire racks prevents soggy bottoms, keeps crisp edges intact.

Chef's Notes

💡 Use soft butter, not melted. Cream until fluffy. Overmixing after adding eggs flattens your cookie. Keep it airy, but no excess beating.
💡 Prefer dense, chewy cookies? Chill the dough. At least 40 minutes. Experiment - longer can give thicker bites. Oven hot? 380F is best.
💡 Sift flour with salt and baking soda to blend. Scrape bowl often when mixing in dry ingredients. Avoid pockets for even rise. No lumps.
💡 Chips add gooey joy. Fold them in gently, along with nuts. Overmix toughens dough. Eye on texture! How it feels matters, not just time.
💡 Baking cues: edges should be golden brown. Centers still soft, slight jiggle. Don’t over-bake. Cooling on rack - no soggy bottoms.