Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Chocolate chip pecan cookies are a classic in our house, and they’ve become part of a tradition my family looks forward to every December. Chris and I get our daughter into her pyjamas and tell her it’s almost bedtime, only to surprise her with a thermos of homemade hot chocolate, a cozy blanket, and a drive around Dartmouth to look at Christmas lights. These small, thick old-fashioned cookies are always tucked into the basket of treats I bring along.
With soft centres, crisp edges, and a mix of buttery dough, pecans, and semi-sweet chocolate, they’re a simple homemade cookie that fits as easily into everyday baking as it does into small holiday traditions like ours.
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Ingredients For Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Standard white flour works best for these cookies.
- Baking Soda: Be sure it is fresh for proper leavening.
- Brown Sugar: You can use light or dark (sometimes called old-fashioned) brown sugar.
- Butter: I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
- Chocolate Chips (Semi-Sweet): Semi-sweet gives balance without being overly sweet like milk chocolate, which can be cloying.
- Eggs: I use large eggs for all my recipes.
- Pecans: Use fresh pecan halves or pieces with a good nutty aroma.
- Salt: I use table salt for all of my recipes.
- Sugar (Granulated): Standard white sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: Use any vanilla you like or have on hand.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour: You can use the same amount of cake & pastry or bread flour.
- Baking Soda: Swap in 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.
- Butter: Use 1 cup of unsalted butter and add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt to the recipe. You can also use margarine.
- Chocolate Chips (Semi-Sweet): You can substitute these with any chocolate chips you like or an equal weight of chopped chocolate.
- Vanilla Extract: Replace with ½ teaspoon of almond or maple extract.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this chocolate chip pecan cookies recipe:
- Candied Ginger: ¼ cup finely chopped, fold in with the chocolate chips
- Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon ground, whisk into the flour mixture
- Coconut: ½ cup unsweetened shredded, stir in with the nuts
- Dried Cranberries: ½ cup, mix in when adding the chocolate chips
- Espresso Powder: 1 teaspoon, blend into the butter and sugars
- Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon finely grated, mixed into the wet ingredients
- Flaky Salt: As needed, sprinkle on top immediately after baking
- Toffee Bits: ½ cup, fold into the dough with the chocolate chips
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
STEP 1: Combine the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl.
STEP 2: Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugars until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then mix in the vanilla.
STEP 3: Add the flour, salt, and baking soda into the bowl.
STEP 4: Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and stir the dough until about halfway mixed.
STEP 5: Add the chocolate chips and pecans.
STEP 6: Continue stirring until the chocolate is evenly distributed and no dry flour remains.
STEP 7: Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets.
STEP 8: Bake until the edges are set and the centres look slightly underdone. While still warm, press a few extra chocolate chips and pecan pieces on top if you like. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Expert Tips
- If your eggs are cold from the fridge, place them in a mug of hot tap water for a few minutes to bring them to room temperature, which makes them easier to mix.
- For larger bakery-style cookies, combine two scoops of dough into one ball and watch closely, they may need a couple of extra minutes in the oven.
- Freeze scooped dough balls on a baking sheet, transfer to a zipper-top bag, then bake straight from the freezer using the same time as the recipe.
Recipe Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- Pack brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup. If it’s measured loosely, the cookies won’t have the same moisture or chewiness.
- A cookie scoop helps make evenly sized cookies—I use a 2-tablespoon scoop. If you don’t have one, weigh 28-gram portions or eyeball the dough. Roll into balls before placing on baking sheets.
Storage
- Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. For longer storage, place them in a freezer bag with the air pressed out and freeze for up to two months. When ready, let the cookies thaw on the counter or warm them in the microwave for a few seconds.
Recipes Related To Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Printable Recipe Card
Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Special Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Baking sheet(s)
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Spoon or spatula
- Cookie scoop optional
- Wire cooling rack(s)
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for the tops of the cookies (optional)
- 1 ½ cups pecans, whole or pieces, plus extra for the tops of the cookies (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat together until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add one egg and mix well. Add the second egg and the vanilla. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the flour, salt, and baking soda evenly over the wet ingredients. Switch to a spoon or spatula and stir the cookie dough by hand until about halfway mixed.
- Add the chocolate chips and pecans. Stir everything together until the chocolate and nuts are well distributed and the flour is just mixed in. Be sure to incorporate all of the dry flour from the bottom of the bowl.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough directly onto the prepared baking sheets. Place the sheets in the oven and bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes (or until the edges are pale gold and the middles are still slightly underdone). Transfer the sheets to wire racks. Optional: Gently press a few more chocolate chips and pecan pieces on top of each hot cookie. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- Pack brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup. If it’s measured loosely, the cookies won’t have the same moisture or chewiness.
- A cookie scoop helps make evenly sized cookies—I use a 2-tablespoon scoop. If you don’t have one, weigh 28-gram portions or eyeball the dough. Roll into balls before placing on baking sheets.
Storage
- Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. For longer storage, place them in a freezer bag with the air pressed out and freeze for up to two months. When ready, let the cookies thaw on the counter or warm them in the microwave for a few seconds.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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Hi Kelly, I made these yesterday, going to visit my daughter and son in law today, they are an hour away. He likes taking treats in his lunch so I thought I’d try something different. I confess, I did halve the recipe and it turned out great. My cousin lives in Canning, I visited her last year, love going to Bay of Fundy, wineries and of course the lovely lobster dinners! I live in Kelowna, BC.
Oh, that’s awesome Julie, thanks for letting me know! The Valley is my second favourite place to visit, with Cape Breton in my #1 spot. I’ve spent a lot of time driving around Wolfville, Canning, Kentville etc, since by best friend grew up in Berwick and now lives in Kentville. I would love to get to BC someday!