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    Home » Cookies

    Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

    Published: Nov 25, 2019 by Ashley This post may contain affiliate links. 58 Comments

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Oh my goodness guys, these cookies. These buttery, nutty, and crumbly brown butter maple pecan cookies are made with toasty brown butter and filled with roasted pecans. Dipped in a maple glaze made with maple syrup and a sprinkle of pecans, these cookies are so incredibly delicious, and would be the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter. Bring these to your next cookie swap and they are sure to be a hit. 

    *Updated 12/3/23*

    Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love These Cookies
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Baking Tips
    • Storage and Freezing
    • FAQs
    • More Cookie Recipes to Try
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Why You Will Love These Cookies

    • These brown butter maple pecan cookies are similar in texture to a shortbread cookie, so the cookies will have a soft, sandy, shortbread texture when baked.
    • These cookies are buttery, and nutty, toasty and deep in flavor. Brown butter is the star of these cookies and provides so much flavor.
    • The maple glaze takes these cookies to the next level. Using real maple syrup in this glaze along with a little bit of a good quality maple extract, really amps up the maple flavor. Maple, brown butter and pecans are a knock out flavor combination.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Unsalted butter

    Powdered/Confectioners' sugar

    Fine sea salt

    All purpose flour

    Pecans - finely chopped and toasted

    Maple syrup - Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.

    Maple extract - Maple syrup has a mild maple flavor. The extract gives some extra maple flavor.

    Cream, milk - to bind the dough

    Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

    Recipe Instructions

    1. Brown the butter until deep golden brown. Cool to just warm.
    2. Refrigerate the brown butter until solid but still scoopable.
    3. Beat together brown butter, confectioners sugar and salt.
    4. Beat in the flour and pecans until just combined. Add a few tablespoons of cream if needed.
    5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface or mat and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
    6. Flatten the dough to a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment.
    7. Roll the dough to ¼" thick and cut out cookie shapes. I used a 3" fluted cookie cutter.
    8. Place cookies on cookie sheet and chill for 20 minutes.
    9. Bake the cookies until they begin to brown around the edges and the center is set.
    10. Cool completely on the cookie sheet before glazing.
    11. Whisk together the confectioners sugar, maple syrup, maple extract and salt until combined. Whisk in water as needed to thin the glaze.
    12. Dip the cookies into the glaze, halfway, then place on parchment paper to dry. Sprinkle with pecans. Let the glaze set before serving.
    Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

    Baking Tips

    • Once chilled and ready to use, roll out the dough while it is still wrapped in plastic wrap. The dough will stretch the plastic wrap and will be especially helpful in getting the dough to keep its shape, and getting a head start in rolling it out.
    • Browning the butter takes minutes, but cooling and solidifying the butter takes some time. You can make the brown butter in advance, up to a week ahead if needed. Exact times for cooling in the recipe card are estimates.
    • With any cookie dough that needs to be chilled, allow the dough to come to cool room temperature before rolling it out, if you've let the dough chill to the point the butter has firmed back up. Trying to roll it out cold is not recommended. It will be near impossible to keep the dough together and will be incredibly difficult to roll it out.

    Storage and Freezing

    Cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Baked and unglazed cookies can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. They can also be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    Glazed cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Keep the cookies from sticking to each other by layering them in a single layer, with layers divided by parchment or wax paper.

    Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

    FAQs

    Why is my dough dry?

    Brown butter can be tricky, because we're not always sure how much water evaporates during cooking. I make these cookies often and never need to add any liquid. But, if the dough seems too dry when mixing, you can add up to three tablespoons of cream, half and half, milk, or yogurt to the dough. You want the dough to just be able to hold together, and no large pockets of dry flour to remain. Adding just a small amount of liquid will not effect the texture or flavor of the cookies. However, too much liquid can make the cookies tough, so use only as needed.

    Why does this recipe require chilling the dough twice?

    With the first round of chilling, the dough is not being chilled to keep it cold necessarily, but it's to let the dough rest and let the flour properly absorb the liquid and to relax the gluten so that it is easier to roll.

    The second round of chilling is for the butter to harden a bit so the cookies will keep their shape when baking.

    Why is my dough sticking?

    Rolling the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper or wax paper, will help prevent any sticking and make the dough easier and faster to roll. Bonus, it's also less mess. I almost exclusively do this with most roll out doughs these days.

    Did you make this recipe? Share it with us! Tag @littlevintagebaking on Instagram and leave a star rating below if you LOVED this recipe. For more baking and decorating ideas follow me on Pinterest.

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    Recipe

    Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

    Buttery, crumbly and nutty brown butter shortbread cookies with toasted, chopped pecans and a sweet maple glaze.
    4.65 from 98 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings16 - 20 cookies
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cooling and Chilling3 hours hrs
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

    Equipment

    • Electric Stand Mixer
    • Fluted cookie cutters

    Ingredients
     

    Cookies

    • 1 cup unsalted butter
    • ½ cup confectioners sugar
    • ½ tsp fine sea salt
    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 2-3 tablespoons cream or half and half
    • ½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (plus some for sprinkling)

    Maple Glaze

    • 2 cups confectioners sugar
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon maple extract
    • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 2-3 tablespoons water

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, cook the butter until it is a deep golden brown color and smells nutty and toasted, about 5 -7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
      1 cup unsalted butter
    • Let the butter cool to luke warm, for about an hour. Place the cooled butter in the refrigerator until solid but scoopable and still soft, for an additional 1-2 hours. The texture will be similar to shortening, or tub butter.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the brown butter, confectioners' sugar and the salt until well combined.
      ½ cup confectioners sugar, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • Beat in the flour and the pecans until just combined, and no large pockets of flour remains in the bowl. If the dough is still dry and sandy, stream in the cream until the dough starts to come together.
      2 cups all purpose flour, ½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (plus some for sprinkling), 2-3 tablespoons cream or half and half
    • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface or a non-stick mat, and form the dough into a ball. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and flatten to a disc, about 1" high. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookies sheets with parchment.
    • On a lightly floured surface or a non-stick mat, roll out the dough to about ¼" thick.
    • Using a round fluted cookie cutter, cut out rounds out of the dough and place on the parchment cookie sheets, leaving about 2" between the cookies. Chill the cookies for 20 minutes.
    • Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes until the edges are just starting to lightly brown and the centers of the cookies look set. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, and maple extract until smooth. Add the water as needed. The glaze consistency should be thick enough to coat the cookie, similar to melted chocolate in texture.
      2 cups confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2-3 tablespoons water, ½ teaspoon maple extract, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • Dip the cookies into the glaze, halfway, then place on parchment paper.
    • While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle with finely chopped pecans. Let the glaze set before serving or storing.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « All Butter Pie Crust
    No Spread Sugar Cookies »

    Comments

    1. Lala says

      September 30, 2024 at 1:22 am

      Hi, these cookies look both beautiful and delicious. I was wondering if there is a way to add some maple flavor to the cookie itself. Do you think adding 1-2 tsp of maple extract to the batter would work? Also, I want to pipe the icing on my cookies. Is it thick enough for some light piping work?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        October 02, 2024 at 6:31 pm

        Hi Lala. I'd add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp maple extract to the dough. The glaze is not thick enough to pipe. Royal icing would be better to pipe on the cookies.

        Reply
        • Toni McCormick says

          January 23, 2025 at 5:57 pm

          5 stars
          I made a 1/2 batch--baking as we speak. Due to a historic snow event (N.O.) gets an 1 or 2 inches every 7-15 years lastly less than a day--we couldn't get out for Maple SYRUP. I had pure maple SUGAR on hand in addition to the extract; used that for the glaze.
          In addition to some pecan meal could one sub a little maple sugar instead of the confection sugar or would it change dough structure?

          Reply
          • Ashley says

            March 02, 2025 at 2:19 pm

            I believe switching out the sugars could cause the cookies to have a sandier texture, but I think they'd be great!

            Reply
    2. Toni McCormick says

      September 20, 2024 at 9:07 am

      5 stars
      You had me at the brown butter & pecans! Would it be possible to replace some of the flour (1/4-1/2 cup) w pecan meal to increase pecan flavor?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        October 02, 2024 at 6:36 pm

        Sure!

        Reply
    3. SW says

      June 10, 2024 at 10:22 am

      Hi! Could you please tell me what brand of scalloped cookie cutter you used that it held its shape so well? Mine must not be as deeply fluted as yours as the shape isn't as defined after baking. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 06, 2024 at 7:19 pm

        I'm not sure what brand, but I got it at either Hobby Lobby or Michael's craft store.

        Reply
    4. Mayka Tustison says

      December 16, 2023 at 5:17 pm

      I'm planning on making this today but I don't have maple flavoring just maple syrup. I'm not in a place I can find it at the store either. Should I just add more syrup?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 18, 2023 at 7:44 pm

        Hi Mayka! No need to add extra maple, you can just omit the maple extract. Note that the maple flavor will be a bit more mild. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Nadine says

      December 12, 2023 at 1:03 pm

      3 stars
      Pretty good cookies! I had to add water to the dough to get it to stick and that helped a lot! Next time I make these I would maybe add some of the maple extract into the shortbread too. It was lacking a little and all the flavour for the cookie was just in the icing. Easy to make and happy how they turned out, personally I would just tweek my next batch a little bit 🙂

      Reply
    6. Lisa Marie says

      December 03, 2023 at 10:03 pm

      So these are DELICIOUS. And pretty easy to make if you have patience. My total time was 4.5 hours (not 40 mins as the recipe states), but that includes refrigeration time, bake time, etc…the whole process… I actually used vanilla greek yogurt to form the dough better which worked really well. I may also increase the maple extract in the glaze from 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp next time because I like the flavor but don’t want the sweetness of too much maple syrup.

      Reply
    7. Kyra says

      December 02, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      Hey could you make this gluten free ?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 03, 2023 at 10:21 pm

        Hi Kyra. You can try replacing the flour with a cup for cup gluten free blend, but I haven't tried it to see if it works well. In theory, it should. If you try it, please let me know!

        Reply
    8. Christina Binder says

      November 23, 2023 at 7:04 am

      I recently baked these amazing cookies, had to add the cream/milk to get the dough to hold together. Once cooled I tempered some chocolate chips and sprinkled the warm chocolate with some leftover chopped toasted nuts and toasted coconut…so yummy 😋

      Reply
    9. Lauren says

      November 05, 2023 at 11:08 am

      I make shortbread all the time. Loved this recipe. When I rolled out the dough it would not come together. Very crumbly. I added a wee bit of milk like the other commenter. Now in asking this my butter was in fridge all night and a NOT soft when I mixed batter. Was this maybe why?

      They ore in oven baking can’t wait to try. Thanks.
      Lauren

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 05, 2023 at 4:37 pm

        Hi Lauren!
        Yes, the butter being hard does contribute to the dough being crumbly. It's absolutely fine adding a little bit of milk.
        Sometimes, depending on the butter brand, fat percentage and how the long the butter cooks, more water can evaporate while browning, which can lead to more of a crumbly dough.

        Reply
        • Lauren says

          November 05, 2023 at 5:54 pm

          Well there were delicious. Thank u for the recipe.

          Reply
        • Michelle says

          December 18, 2023 at 11:16 am

          So yummy! Has got to be one of my favorite cookies. Buttery, nutty and short with that maple glaze. Perfecto!

          Reply
          • Ashley says

            December 18, 2023 at 7:45 pm

            Thank you Michelle! So happy you loved them!

            Reply
    10. Heatherb says

      October 31, 2023 at 7:49 am

      Would this dough work with cookie stamps?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 01, 2023 at 9:18 am

        Hi Heather! I'm not sure. These cookies are similar to a shortbread, so I think it could work. If you try it, let me know how it works out!

        Reply
    11. Claire says

      October 20, 2023 at 4:32 pm

      Looking forward to trying this recipe! What size cookie cutter did you use? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        October 24, 2023 at 3:50 pm

        Hi Claire. I used a 3" cookie cutter.

        Reply
    12. Shannon says

      September 23, 2023 at 9:20 am

      The picture of your cookies almost look like they have a base layer of icing on them, plus the glaze - is this just the way the cookie looks?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 23, 2023 at 10:17 am

        Hi Shannon! It's just how the glaze has kind of pooled beneath the cookies as they set. It can be avoided by placing them on a wire rack to dry and drip off the excess glaze.

        Reply
    13. Dee says

      April 02, 2023 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      How long will these keep??

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        April 03, 2023 at 2:05 pm

        Hi Dee. They will keep for a week in an airtight container. Ash xx

        Reply
    14. Kateoshaw says

      February 15, 2023 at 2:55 pm

      I made the recipe twice. The second time I reduced the refrigeration to one hour which made the cookies easier to handle. I also reduced the powdered sugar in the frosting to 1/2 cup which made it easier to dip the cookies. They are wonderful cookies with a great maple taste.

      Reply
      • Kristina says

        November 12, 2023 at 12:23 pm

        Could I make the dough ahead of time and freeze? Or should I just keep in the fridge? I am trying to prep for thanksgiving. I would be making the dough 3-4 days ahead of time. Thank you!

        Reply
    15. Laura says

      January 02, 2023 at 8:36 pm

      5 stars
      Hi! So I’m not sure why but after baking the cookies, the top were sticky, looked almost as if they were not fully baked but the bottoms were starting to brown. When I touched them, some dough came off on my fingers. I’ve never seen that before when baking. Not sure what I did wrong.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        January 14, 2023 at 2:55 pm

        Hi Laura. This can happen sometimes with shortbread because there is low moisture content. Moisture binds cookie dough generally, but with shortbread, it's more fat binding than moisture binding, hence shortbread's typical sandy, crumbly texture. Low moisture also means melt in your mouth, and a lighter texture. I hope you enjoyed them! Ash

        Reply
      • Yolanda Turner says

        December 12, 2023 at 12:06 pm

        Hi Laura, I love these cookies but when I made them yesterday, and over again today, they have that surface stickiness that I'm sure is the same as you experienced. The cookies are delicious, but this stickiness is really a pain. I have to say that when I first tried the recipe about two months ago, the batch I made did not have this stickiness. But, for the life of me, I can't figure out why this new batch has it. I called the King Arthur Flour baking hot line and they were stumped, as well. I'm not sure about the response you originally got from this website. My feeling is that the stickiness makes the cookies inedible - too messy. Wish I could figure this out. If you have solved this mystery, please publish the remedy. Thanks.

        Reply
        • Ashley says

          December 12, 2023 at 1:21 pm

          Hi Yolanda. It's normal for a shortbread to be sandy on top, but not sticky. I'm trying to troubleshoot why some bakers are having this problem. A few questions. Did you add the milk/cream at the end of the recipe? How long did you bake them? I do think I have an idea of what could be causing this.

          Reply
    16. Mariam says

      December 23, 2022 at 2:48 pm

      I’m making this right now and the butter is almost grainy? Did I overcook it? Smells so good tho! Do I need to strain it?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 23, 2022 at 11:08 pm

        Hi Mariam! Nope, sounds perfect. No need to strain it.

        Reply
    17. Michelle says

      December 20, 2022 at 10:28 pm

      5 stars
      Made these for my annual cookie exchange party. They were a big hit. I would have won best tasting cookie, but I eliminated that award this year and instead had a best looking cookie vote. I tied for the win!

      Reply
    18. A says

      December 17, 2022 at 12:04 am

      Do you think you could make these workout nuts and they would turn out ok? Should anything be added to replace?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 17, 2022 at 5:12 pm

        I think you can make them without nuts and they'll be great. Replace the 1/2 cup of pistachios with an additional 1/2 cup of flour. Enjoy!

        Reply
    19. Mary says

      December 04, 2022 at 8:30 pm

      These would be gorgeous on the Christmas cookie plate.

      Reply
    20. Debbie DeCarlo says

      December 02, 2022 at 8:49 pm

      I made these cookies twice for cookie boxes this holiday. They are wonderful.

      Reply
    21. Jenni says

      November 30, 2022 at 9:22 am

      Is the 1/2 cup pecans measured *before or after* they have been chopped?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 30, 2022 at 6:23 pm

        Hi Jenni! Measure pecans before they've been chopped.

        Reply
    22. Ann says

      November 12, 2022 at 7:40 am

      5 stars
      These cookies are amazing. My family and friends all loved these. The brown butter in combination with the maple syrup is divine. Thank you for this recipe.

      Reply
    23. Dreefy says

      October 15, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      Is it possible to make these dairy free? They sound mouthwatering but I can not have butter anymore. *insert heartbreak here*

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        October 19, 2022 at 8:29 pm

        Hi! I have never tried it, but you can try it with vegan butter. Most won't brown like regular butter will, but I have heard that Miyoko's brand will.

        Reply
    24. Vanessa says

      September 30, 2022 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks for sharing! Do they freeze well?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        October 01, 2022 at 8:47 am

        They do! You can freeze them cut out and unbaked, or baked without the glaze. I prefer to freeze them without the glaze, just because any moisture when defrosting can cause the glaze to melt.

        Reply
        • Shelby says

          November 19, 2024 at 9:07 am

          How long can these be stored baked and frozen?

          Reply
          • Ashley says

            December 17, 2024 at 2:20 pm

            They can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days and frozen without glaze for up to 3 months.

            Reply
    25. Suzanne says

      September 30, 2022 at 9:46 pm

      This looks so good! What a fun cookie to make with kids!

      Reply
    26. Chrissie says

      June 03, 2022 at 11:01 am

      Can you freeze these cookies with the maple glaze on?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        June 06, 2022 at 6:21 pm

        Yep, sure can! Be sure the icing is 100% dry first. Place wax paper or parchment between the cookies when stacking.

        Reply
    27. Samantha says

      December 20, 2021 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      Made these cookies today! When I was mixing the dough it was too crumbly and wasn't forming together, I fixed this by adding a touch of milk and 1 tbsp of butter and it worked great! Also, 17 mins for the cook time was too long for my cookies. 12 mins seemed to be great. Other then that, tasted delicious!

      Reply
    28. Stacey Davis says

      September 01, 2021 at 2:29 pm

      Hello just found this recipe cant wait to add it to my fall cookie list, does the cookie glaze crust for easy packing,

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 12, 2021 at 8:19 pm

        Yep! Just let it dry completely before packing. -Ash

        Reply
    29. Jessica says

      December 21, 2020 at 11:26 pm

      I have to say that your blog has some of the best looking recipes. Just wanted to know how many cookies does this recipe make.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        January 08, 2021 at 11:41 am

        Hi Jessica! The batch makes 16-20 cookies. Hope you love them!

        Reply
    4.65 from 98 votes (90 ratings without comment)

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    Ashley Little Vintage Baking

    Hi, I'm Ashley! Welcome to the Little Vintage Baking blog. I am food photographer and recipe developer of mostly sweet, sometimes savory recipes that are always delicious, and elevated, but always approachable. I hope to inspire you with beautiful, tried and true recipes for all skill levels.

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