Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies
A chewy cookie brimming with toasted pecans and covered with a caramel or penuche-like frosting. Such a delicious holiday cookie!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 28 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour ((scoop and level to measure))
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, (softened)
- 1 cup (210g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla (extract)
- 1 cup pecans, (toasted, cooled and chopped into bits)
- 3/4 cup (160g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (90ml) half and half
- 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, (diced into 3 pieces)
- 1 1/2 cups (186g) powdered sugar, (sifted)
- 28 pecan halves (toasted or untoasted) (, for topping)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- 2
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda an salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
- 3
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and brown sugar until well blended.
- 4
Mix in egg and vanilla. Add in flour mixture and mix just until combined then mix in pecans.
- 5
Scoop dough out and shape into balls, about 1 1/2 Tbsp each (or using a medium cookie scoop). Drop onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 2-inches apart.
- 6
Bake in preheated oven until nearly set, tops should appear under-baked, about 9 minutes.
- 7
Cool on pan several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 8
Frost with brown sugar icing and add a pecan to each immediately after frosting each one before the frosting starts to set. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
- 9
For the brown sugar icing:
- 10
In a small saucepan bring brown sugar, half and half and butter to a boil stirring constantly. Continue to boil, whisking constantly, 3 minutes.
- 11
Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar. Let cool several minutes until it starts to thicken, stirring occasionally. Thin with 1 tsp hot water a time as needed.
- 12
Recipe source: adapted from Southern Living via The Recipe Rebel