Be prepared to fall for these Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies! Made with sweet bourbon, nutty brown butter, toasted buttered pecans, and LOADS of chocolate chunks. Every bite is irresistible!
There is so much to love about these cookies. They are chewy, crispy on the edges, and gooey in the middle. The combination of bourbon, pecans and brown butter are a match made in heaven!
Be sure to check out some of our favorite cookie recipes like Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Chocolate Cookies!
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Ingredient Notes
Butter Pecans
- Unsalted Butter - Adds buttery flavor.
- Pecans - You can use raw pecan halves or pieces.
Cookie Dough
- All-Purpose Flour - I love using King Arthur's all-purpose flour.
- Cornstarch - Also known as cornflour in the UK, is the key to a chewy cookie.
- Baking Soda - Adds lightness and helps the cookie brown.
- Salt - Enhances flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter - We will be browning the butter. It adds a beautiful nutty aroma.
- Brown + White Sugar - A combination of the two types of sugar is key to a soft gooey center and crisp edges.
- Bourbon - The bourbon and spiced butter pecans are a match made in heaven.
- Vanilla - You can use vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- Egg + Yolk - The extra yolk also creates a chewy texture. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. You can quickly bring them to temp by submerging into hot tap water for 15 minutes.
- Chocolate - I love using a combination of 62% and 72% chocolate. I'm using Scharffen Berger's chocolate chunks and chocolate bars.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make these brown butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies! Please find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Toast your Pecans - Add butter and pecans to a skillet and toast over medium heat. About 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently so the pecans do not burn.
Step 2. Make your brown butter - Brown your butter in a light color, heavy bottomed skillet or saucepan.
Hint : Using a light colored pan allows you to see the color of your butter as it cooks. The butter can burn quickly, so being able to see the color progression is helpful.
Step 3 – Once your butter is a done, quickly transfer to a large glass bowl. Make sure to scrape all the tiny brown bits at the bottom of the pan into the bowl.
Step 4 - Make your cookie dough - Immediately add the bourbon, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla to your brown butter. Mix until combined.
Step 5 - Add egg and yolk. Whisk until combined.
Step 6 - Sift in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and incorporate when few flour streaks are left.
Step 7 - Gently combine chocolate and chopped pecans.
Step 8 - Using a large cookie scoop (#20), portion out the cookie dough balls and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes or up to 3 days in the fridge.
Step 9 - Bake 2 inches apart for 11 to 12 minutes at 350ºF. Top with flaky salt. Serve warm and enjoy!
Hint: For perfectly round cookies, try this hack! Right when you pull the cookies out of the oven, place a large round biscuit cutter or ramekin over the cookie (it should be a bit bigger than the cookie itself) and make several circular motions. As the edge of the cookie touches the inside of the biscuit cutter, it will round out any irregular edges.
Substitutions & Variations
- For the Pecans - Try walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios. You can also use candied pecans. If you are allergic to nuts, you can omit it completely.
- For the Bourbon - Can easily substitute for any whiskey such as, Rye or Scotch. You can also use Rum as well. If you don't consume alcohol, you can leave it out.
- For the Chocolate - You can use any chocolate such as, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, caramelized white chocolate, white chocolate. You can also add butterscotch chips or toffee bits!
Storage
- Baked Cookies. Baked cookies are best eaten right away or the same day. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container and leave on the counter for about 3 days.
- Raw Cookie Dough in the Fridge – Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Portion them out as instructed and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Raw Cookie Dough in the Freezer – Freeze for up to 2 months. Portion them out as instructed and freeze on a cookie sheet uncovered for an hour. Then transfer to freezer bags or an airtight container. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 12 to 14 minutes.
Expert Tips
Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. When it comes to baked goods, it’s really important to measure your ingredients correctly. Having too much flour or not enough can greatly affect the outcome of the final product. I use a $15 (usd) digital kitchen scale from Amazon and I love it!
Do not overmix. No tough cookies here! Over-mixing the dough will lead to excessive gluten development, which can result in a hard and dense cookie.
Don’t forget to add more chocolate on top! The extra chocolate will not only make them look prettier, they will make them extra chocolatey!
Give cookies space to bake. These are large cookies, so be sure to space them at least 2 inches apart. I like to bake 6 cookies on a large baking sheet.
Do not Overbake. Your bake time can vary based on how hot your oven runs. Err on the side of underbaking your cookie. I found 11 minutes to be perfect!
Freeze Cookie Dough Balls Ahead. Nothing beats freshly baked cookies! I love keeping dough balls in the freezer so I can bake a few at a time whenever I'm craving cookies.
FAQ
Bourbon is an American whiskey that's made from corn. Bourbon is generally sweet and has notes of caramel, vanilla and warm spices.
The #20 scoop is considered to be large, as it holds about 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) of cookie dough. A standard size (medium) scoop is #30, which holds 1 ½ tablespoons of dough.
Yes you can, however, smaller cookies are not as gooey! Make sure to adjust your cook time depending on the size of your cookies. The smaller they are, the less time you'll need.
This cookie dough can be made ahead and left in the fridge for up to 3 days. In fact, it tastes even better as it sit in the fridge because the flavors have time to meld and develop. Scoop out cookie balls onto a baking sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Bake straight from the fridge at 350ºF (190ºC) for 11 to 12 minutes. There is no need to thaw before.
I’m a huge fan of making a huge batch of cookies and keeping them in the freezer. I love being able to bake fresh cookies any time I want. Just assemble your cookies as usual, place on a cookie sheet and freeze uncovered for an hour. Then place the frozen balls of cookie dough into freezer bags. It will keep for 2 months. Bake frozen at 350ºF for 12 to 14 minutes.
More Cookie Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Total Time: 25 Mins + 30 Mins for Chilling
- Yield: 17 Cookies
Description
Be prepared to fall for these Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies! Made with bourbon, nutty brown butter, toasted pecans, and loads of chocolate chunks. Every bite is irresistible!
Ingredients
Butter Pecans
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Pecans
Cookie Dough
- 1 Cup (226g | 2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, browned
- 1 ¾ Cups (210g) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Cornstarch or Cornflour (UK)
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Bourbon
- ¾ Cup (150g) Dark or Light Brown Sugar, packed
- ½ Cup (100g) White Sugar
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract
- 1 Large Egg + 1 yolk, room temp
- 8 Ounces (227g) Dark Chocolate, chopped
- Flaky Sea Salt as garnish
Instructions
- Make your Butter Pecans - Add butter and pecans to a skillet and toast over medium heat. About 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently so the pecans do not burn.
- Make the Brown Butter - In a light colored saucepan and over medium heat, add unsalted butter. Swirl the pan and keep the butter moving around constantly. Once completely melted, the butter will foam and sizzle and gradually start to brown. It’s ready when it smells nutty and the color is an amber brown color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn it.
- Immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Make your Cookie Dough - With a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown butter, bourbon, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla until combined. About 2 minutes on medium speed. *You can also whisk by hand.
- Add 1 egg and 1 yolk and mix for another minute until emulsified.
- Sift in flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt. On the lowest setting or by hand, incorporate your dry ingredients until there are few flour streaks left. Do not overmix!
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold in your chocolate chunks and chopped pecans to combine.
- With a large cookie scoop (#20), portion out your dough balls and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Cover with cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 72 hours in the fridge. You can also freeze for up to 2 months and bake at a later time.
- When you are ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (176ºC). Set them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake! Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 12 Minutes
Samantha says
WOW!!
These turned out fantastic. Love brown butter and the hint of Bourbon. Definitely a keeper!
Lisa says
Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed them!