I’ve perfected my Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe for my Holiday Cookie Recipes collection, and I’m finally sharing the exact technique and measurements that guarantee consistent results every time.
I never planned to turn a classic chocolate cookie into something that makes grown adults whisper, but here we are. These Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies crackle at the edges, stay chewy inside, and have that caramel nuttiness from browned butter that sneaks up on you.
A splash of bourbon lifts the whole thing and yes I might sneak a taste from the bowl. Honestly its the kind of Holiday Cookie Recipes pick you tuck away and later pretend you forgot about.
If you like Bourbon Cookies try one warm, you won’t regret it.
Ingredients
- Brown butter brings nutty caramel flavor, adds richness and buttery aroma, no sweetness.
- Brown sugar gives molasses sweetness and moisture, slightly higher minerals, mostly carbs though.
- Bourbon adds warm vanilla and oak notes, booze mostly cooks off, adds depth.
- Pecans give crunch, healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber and some protein, tasty and rich.
- Chocolate chunks supply sweet bitter cocoa, quick carbs and antioxidants, very satisfying.
- Vanilla lifts sweetness without sugar, aromatic, tiny calories, makes flavors pop, it’s magic.
- All purpose flour gives structure, mostly starch and carbs, low fiber and protein.
- Flaky sea salt brightens flavors, balances sweetness, almost calorie free, small pinch matters.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 1/4 cups (280g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Brown the butter: melt 1 cup unsalted butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat, swirl until foamy and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5-8 minutes; remove from heat and let cool to warm, not hot, so it wont cook the eggs.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar, then beat in the cooled browned butter until combined and slightly fluffy.
4. Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons bourbon; beat just until mixed, scraping the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl whisk 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, then stir the dry into the wet ingredients until just combined; dont overmix or the cookies will be tough.
6. Fold in 1 cup toasted, roughly chopped pecans and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips, saving a few chunks to press onto the tops before baking.
7. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes in the fridge for thicker, chewier cookies, or 10 minutes if you’re impatient; chilling also helps the bourbon flavor concentrate.
8. Scoop dough into generous 2 tablespoon portions (or use a medium cookie scoop) and place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart, press reserved chunks on top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you want that salty-sweet pop.
9. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers still soft, rotate pans halfway if needed. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling so they set but stay chewy.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven preheated to 350°F (175°C)
2. Light colored skillet for browning the butter
3. Two mixing bowls, one large and one medium
4. Measuring cups and spoons (cup measures, tablespoons, teaspoons)
5. Wire whisk and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon for mixing and folding
6. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
7. Cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) or a tablespoon and a spoon for portioning
8. Cooling rack to let cookies finish setting
9. Cutting board and chef knife for toasting and chopping pecans
10. Refrigerator for chilling the dough before baking
FAQ
Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Unsalted butter, browned and cooled: Use 1 cup (227g) ghee or clarified butter for the same rich mouthfeel, or just 1 cup unsalted butter at room temp if you cant brown it. Tip: if you skip browning, add 1/4 teaspoon extra vanilla to help mimic the nutty notes.
- Bourbon (2 tbsp): Swap with 2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee for depth, or use 1 tablespoon vanilla extract plus 1 tablespoon water for a non alcoholic option. For a boozy flavor without the booze use 1 teaspoon bourbon extract.
- Pecans (1 cup): Replace with 1 cup toasted walnuts or chopped toasted hazelnuts, same measure. For a nut free cookie just omit and add 1/2 cup extra chocolate chunks.
- Chocolate chunks or chips (1 1/2 cups): Use 1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate bar (mix dark and milk if you like) or 1 1/2 cups chopped baking chocolate. If you want more texture try 3/4 cup chips plus 3/4 cup chopped chocolate for bigger melty pockets.
Pro Tips
1) Brown the butter carefully and stop it at the right moment. Use a light colored pan so you can see the milk solids turn golden, then move the butter to a cool bowl so it stops cooking. Let it cool to warm before touching eggs, or you risk scrambling them.
2) Weigh your flour or spoon and level it instead of scooping. Too much flour makes cookies dry and cakey. If the dough feels stiff, a teaspoon or two of milk or an extra yolk fixes it better than overworking the dough.
3) Chill the dough longer if you want thicker, chewier cookies and deeper bourbon flavor. You can even refrigerate overnight or freeze scoops for baking later. If you freeze, bake from frozen but add a minute or two to the bake time.
4) Toast the pecans and save a few chocolate chunks to press on top right before baking. Sprinkle flaky sea salt as soon as they come out of the oven for the best salty-sweet contrast. Also pull them when centers still look a touch underbaked so they finish soft on the sheet.
Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe
I've perfected my Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe for my Holiday Cookie Recipes collection, and I'm finally sharing the exact technique and measurements that guarantee consistent results every time.
24
servings
257
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven preheated to 350°F (175°C)
2. Light colored skillet for browning the butter
3. Two mixing bowls, one large and one medium
4. Measuring cups and spoons (cup measures, tablespoons, teaspoons)
5. Wire whisk and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon for mixing and folding
6. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
7. Cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) or a tablespoon and a spoon for portioning
8. Cooling rack to let cookies finish setting
9. Cutting board and chef knife for toasting and chopping pecans
10. Refrigerator for chilling the dough before baking
Ingredients
-
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
-
1 cup packed light brown sugar (200g)
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
-
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
2 tablespoons bourbon
-
2 1/4 cups (280g) all purpose flour
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
-
1 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
-
1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
-
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Brown the butter: melt 1 cup unsalted butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat, swirl until foamy and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5-8 minutes; remove from heat and let cool to warm, not hot, so it wont cook the eggs.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar, then beat in the cooled browned butter until combined and slightly fluffy.
- Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons bourbon; beat just until mixed, scraping the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl whisk 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, then stir the dry into the wet ingredients until just combined; dont overmix or the cookies will be tough.
- Fold in 1 cup toasted, roughly chopped pecans and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips, saving a few chunks to press onto the tops before baking.
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes in the fridge for thicker, chewier cookies, or 10 minutes if you're impatient; chilling also helps the bourbon flavor concentrate.
- Scoop dough into generous 2 tablespoon portions (or use a medium cookie scoop) and place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart, press reserved chunks on top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you want that salty-sweet pop.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers still soft, rotate pans halfway if needed. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling so they set but stay chewy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 56g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 257kcal
- Fat: 14.34g
- Saturated Fat: 7.14g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.45g
- Monounsaturated: 4.49g
- Cholesterol: 35.8mg
- Sodium: 98mg
- Potassium: 72mg
- Carbohydrates: 31.1g
- Fiber: 1.66g
- Sugar: 17.8g
- Protein: 2.23g
- Vitamin A: 78IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 10mg
- Iron: 0.81mg
