Chocolate chip pecan cookies—rich and buttery chocolate chip cookies packed with cinnamon-roasted pecans, molasses, and two different chocolate chips!
If it’s not their crispy edges, gooey middles, or chewy texture, it’s the roasted cinnamon pecans that make these cookies so incredible! Inspired by my butterscotch chip cookies, this recipe uses melted butter to achieve a denser, chewier bite—no stand mixer is required!
Packed with melty chocolate, warm spices, and a touch of molasses, these chocolate chip pecan cookies are the ultimate treat, perfect for any occasion!
Table of Contents
Tips for the Best Pecan Cookies
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip! If your cookies are turning out dry and crumbly, it’s almost always due to using too much flour!
Toast the pecans. Toasting the pecans before adding them to the dough enhances their natural oils and intensifies their nutty flavor.
Don’t skip the cinnamon! A hint of cinnamon enhances the flavor of the pecans without overpowering them.
Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop. This ensures that all your cookies are the same size, allowing them to bake evenly. This is key for achieving that perfect bakery-style chocolate chip cookies!
Slightly underbake for chewiness. For extra gooey centers, underbake them! When you take them out of the oven, the centers should still look soft and underdone, as they will continue to cook on the baking sheet as they cool.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Pecans: Halved pecans are preferred; they are easier to roast! You can also use pecan pieces, but you must watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Use any leftovers to make pecan bars!
Molasses: Use unsulphured or dark molasses—it gives the cookies a deep caramel flavor and helps keep them soft and chewy.
Chocolate chips: For the best flavor and texture, we are using mini chocolate chips and regular chocolate chips. Feel free to use dark chocolate or milk chocolate. If you want super melty pools of chocolate like in toffee chocolate chip cookies, use a bar of chocolate or chocolate chunks!
Recipe Instructions
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Roast the pecans. Toss the pecans, melted butter, white sugar, and cinnamon and bake until toasty. Let them cool before chopping.
Step 2: Whisk the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
Step 3: Mix in the wet ingredients​. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt using a rubber spatula. There should be some dry flour streaks remaining!
Step 5: Mix in the pecans and chocolate chips. Add the chopped pecans, chocolate chips, and mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough and mix until combined. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Scoop, chill, and bake! Scoop the cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking tray and freeze for 3-4 hours, overnight will yield the best flavor! Then bake.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Freezing: You can prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and then freeze it. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Like my espresso chocolate chip cookies, this is a great recipe to prep for the holiday season and bake off as needed!
FAQs
You can substitute the pecans for walnuts or hazelnuts. I still recommend roasting them in the oven for the best flavor!
The most common reason this can happen is that the cookies were over-baked!
Look for the edges to be golden brown, but the middles to still be pale and underbaked but not wet-looking.
More Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roasted Pecans
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Pinch fine sea salt
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, *see notes below for measuring*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup chopped cinnamon roasted pecans, from recipe above
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt, for the tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Toss the pecans, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. Bake the pecans on a lined baking sheet for 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool, then chop the pecans for the cookie dough (reserve some whole pieces for the tops of the cookies).1 cup (100 g) pecan halves, 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, Pinch fine sea salt
- Melt the butter in a glass microwave-safe dish until just melted (it should be melted but not hot, if it feels warm let it cool briefly). Then whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.11 tablespoons (154 g) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (128 g) light brown sugar, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and molasses until combined. The mixture should feel and look thicker when it is thoroughly combined.1 (50 g) whole egg, 1 (18 g) large egg yolk, 1 tablespoon (18 g) molasses, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients until almost combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.1 3/4 cup (225 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2/3 cup (70 g) chopped cinnamon roasted pecans, 1/4 cup (42 g) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, 1/4 cup (45 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Use a large 3-tablepoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the second prepared baking sheet. Freeze the cookie dough balls for at least 3-4 hours, overnight will give the best flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Bake 6-8 frozen cookies spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the middle is still pale and underbaked (but not wet).
- Pull the tray out of the oven and press more chocolate chips, whole pecans, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top. Let the tray cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 10 minutes, then transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely.flaky sea salt
- Store leftover chocolate chip pecan cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can store the frozen cookie dough balls in the freezer in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months!
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
I made these, they were delicious!
Absolutely unreal. I ate every single one and had no regrets.
These cookies are fantastic! They taste like comfort. I’m trying to find new recipes for Christmas cookies and this one is definitely going in the rotation. I can’t wait to share them with everyone.
I’m so happy to hear that Kris! Thank you so much for the 5 star review! 🙂