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Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies with Sea Salt

Brown butter maple pecan cookies bake up with golden, set edges and soft centers, with chopped pecans folded into the dough. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt finishes these chilled-dough cookies with a crisp, savory touch.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 47 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 153
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, cut into pieces
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.25 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 egg large, at room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk large, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecans chopped
For the topping
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 2 18x13-inch baking sheets

Method
 

Prepare for baking and make the dough
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, for 5–8 minutes, until the butter smells nutty and the milk solids turn amber.
  4. Remove the butter from the heat and carefully stir in the water.
  5. Transfer the butter and browned bits to a large bowl and cool until warm, about 20 minutes.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
  7. Whisk the brown sugar and maple syrup into the cooled butter.
  8. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
  9. Stir in the flour mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
  10. Fold in the pecans.
  11. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 45–60 minutes, until firm enough to scoop.
Bake and finish the cookies
  1. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions and arrange 12 on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  2. Bake on the upper and lower oven racks for 10–12 minutes, switching and rotating the sheets halfway through, until the edges are golden and set while the centers still look soft.
  3. Sprinkle the warm cookies evenly with the flaky sea salt.
  4. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
  5. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

For the fullest brown-butter flavor, cook until the milk solids turn amber and the butter smells nutty. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week; freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.