Do you need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? I’m confident that the answer to that is ‘no’. There are sooooo many out there. But these chocolate chunk pecan cookies are my true favorite. So here I am, offering them to you anyway and hoping you find them as special as I do.
These have chewy centers, crispy edges, and the perfect amount of chocolate. These are the cookies I bake the most. I keep a bag of pre-scooped dough in the freezer for when the cookie mood strikes. Not much feels cozier than a fresh, warm cookie and it’s definitely the time of year for all the cozy bakes!
These are little different from a traditional choc chip. First of all, the majority of the sugar is light brown and the rest is granulated. The light brown sugar gives the cookies a deeper flavor and a bit more chew. If you use all granulated it’ll produce a little less chew and a bit more crisp and crunch.
Secondly, I use a mix of dark and milk chocolate in the cookies and, instead of chips, I chop up chocolate bars into chunks. Slightly more work and completely worth it. If you hand chop chocolate bars, you get all different sized little bits and some teeny tiny shavings that melt into little flecks of chocolate in the dough. You get big pools of chocolate, little morsels and striated flecks throughout. It’s a very good way to enjoy a cookie. That’s not to say you can’t use chips or pre-chunked chunks but it won’t melt the same and you won’t have that variation that is so lovely.
Finally, and possibly controversially, I add pre-toasted, chopped up pecans to the cookie dough. The pecans add a little crunch and a perfect balance to the rich chocolate and caramel chewiness of the brown sugar. I’m not sure a cookie should be controversial, so if you don’t like nuts in cookies leave ’em out, but know that I vehemently disagree and if you ask me about it I’ll try to convince you to just add the damn pecans. Most of my favorite bakes include pecans. I put them in everything and I can not be stopped.
Something you might notice is that in the recipe, I list the ingredients in grams. This is how I bake. I weigh ingredients because it is the most precise way to bake and the way to get consistent results. It’s also really easy. In my other recipes I convert each ingredient to the American cup system. Instead I’m going to start posting all my recipes in grams. So grab a scale and get ready to take your baking to the next level!
These cookies have gone through many iterations in my kitchen. I’ve given the recipe in one form or another to friends over the years but this version is by far my favorite. It’s the perfect mix of chew and crisp, rich dark chocolate with creamy milk chocolate, and the toasted pecans put it over the top.
If you like this recipe for Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies, you might also like:
BISCOFF AND DARK CHOCOLATE SKILLET COOKIE
CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
HOBNOBS (AKA CRUNCHY OATY COOKIES)
Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies
These cookies have a chewy center, crunchy edges and are studded with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, & bits of toasty pecans. The perfect cookie!
Ingredients
- 228 grams (2sticks) unsalted butter, at room tempearture
- 200 grams light brown sugar
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 350 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 185 grams pecans, toasted & broken into bits
- 150 grams dark chocolate bar, chopped
- 150 grams milk chocolate bar, chopped
- flaky sea salt, like Maldon
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter on low until smooth. Add in both sugars and cream on medium-low speed until lighter in color and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
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Add in the flour mixture in 2 additions, mixing each addition on low speed until the flour is just incorporated. Stir in the pecans and both chocolates by hand.
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Refrigerate the dough overnight, or up to 48 hours, before baking.
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (I like the color that this temperature gives the cookies without crisping them up too much). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared sheets spacing them evenly. Sprinkle the tops lightly with flaky sea salt. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, until golden on the edges, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven, after a minute or two slide the cookies on the parchment onto a cooling rack and cool.
Recipe Notes
If you don't want to bake all the cookies at the same time, they freeze really well! After the dough has sat in the fridge for a while go ahead and scoop dough onto a lined baking sheet and pop it in the freezer. Once the dough balls are completely frozen through, pop them in a zip top freezer bag and store until you need a cookie. This way you can bake of a couple of fresh cookies whenever you need them! Just don't sprinkle with the flaky salt until you're ready to bake and add a few minutes to the bake time!
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