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Dive into our Pecan Espresso & Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe - a blend of nutty, rich and bitter flavors in a perfectly chewy cookie.
Espresso cookies are a dream come true for coffee lovers! The unique blend of rich coffee flavor and sweet, baked goodness is delightful. When you bite into an espresso cookie, especially ones like our Pecan Espresso & Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies, you first notice a satisfyingly chewy texture. Then the magic starts to happen. The robust, slightly bitter espresso flavor comes forward, enhancing and deepening the cookie's sweet notes. This is quickly followed by the rich, earthy tones of the dark chocolate chips. The pecans lend a nutty, almost buttery finish that lingers pleasingly on your palate. The final touch, a sprinkling of sea salt.
Sea salt does a few magical things in this recipe: it helps to balance out and contrast the sweet elements of the cookie and enhances the flavor. Sea salt is a natural flavor enhancer. It can help amplify the nutty pecan, rich dark chocolate and bold espresso flavors, making them even more prominent and enjoyable. So for best results, sprinkle a little sea salt on these cookies and you'll hold the secret to the best cookie recipe ever!
Pair these chewy espresso chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. They're perfect for a late night snack or an indulgent breakfast treat. These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are also great to include in a Christmas cookie box.
Why You'll Love Making and Eating These Cookies
Let me give you a snapshot of why you won't be able to resist these bad boys:
- Unforgettable Taste: The brown butter espresso chocolate chip cookies blend the nuttiness of pecans, the richness of dark chocolate and the bitterness of espresso - a true dessert trifecta!
- Perfect Texture: Expect chewy centers, slightly crispy edges and an overall melt-in-your-mouth experience that will make you sigh in delight.
- Showstopper: Trust me, these pecan dark chocolate chip cookies are conversation starters! Bake them for your next party and watch as they disappear faster than your favorite Netflix series.
Cookie Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- espresso powder
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- granulated sugar
- dark brown sugar
- eggs
- pure vanilla extract
- pecans
- dark chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt
See the printable recipe card below for exact quantities.
How to Make Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
- Brown your butter and add the espresso powder. Let it cool.
- Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking soda and salt.
- Cream together the cooled butter mixture, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients.
- Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
- Scoop, chill the dough, preheat the oven and line those baking sheets.
- Sprinkle sea salt, bake, cool and enjoy!
So there you have it - a brown butter pecan chocolate chip cookies recipe that's a step above the rest. Grab your apron and let's get baking!
See the printable recipe card below for exact recipe instructions.
Tips for Recipe Success
- Brown Your Butter: Take the time to brown your butter. It'll take your cookies to the next level!
- Quality Ingredients: Opt for high-quality dark chocolate and fresh pecans.
- Chill Your Dough: This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
More Cookie Recipes You'll Love
Recommended Equipment & Tools
Espresso powder, Wire rack, Silpat mats
Pecan Espresso & Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies Storage
Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Cookie Recipe Substitutions
Try pistachios, walnuts or almonds instead of pecans, and milk chocolate or semi-sweet chips if dark chocolate isn't your favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
By browning the butter, we deepen its flavor. It imparts a deliciously nutty, almost caramel-like note to your cookies. So, in the battle of browned butter vs. softened butter in cookies, browned butter emerges as a clear winner!
Adding too much brown sugar can make your cookies a little too moist and dense. Balance is key, my friend!
Transforming regular butter into a flavorful, nutty delight is easy and adds an incredible depth to your recipes. Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to create the perfect browned butter:
Pan Selection Matters: Choose a light-colored or stainless steel pan for the job, as it lets you monitor the color shifts accurately. Using a dark pan could lead to overcooking.
Butter Breakdown: Chop your butter into consistent pieces for even melting and to avoid any part from over-browning.
Butter Meltdown: Position your butter in the pan and heat it over medium. Let it melt entirely, giving it a gentle stir occasionally.
Patience is Key: Once the butter has liquefied, it'll start frothing and bubbling. Maintain constant stirring at this point.
Listen to the Butter: You'll hear the butter crackling - that's a good sign! It's the water content evaporating.
Bubble Watch: The butter will create more foam and the bubbles will increase in size.
Golden Nuggets: You'll notice the formation of golden brown bits at the base of your pan. These caramelized milk solids provide the browned butter with its unique flavor profile.
The Aromatic Clue: The moment you get a whiff of a nutty aroma and the butter adopts a warm-brown hue, remove it from the heat pronto.
Chill Out: Quickly transfer the browned butter into a heat-proof dish to halt further cooking and avoid burning it.
You can use either, but dark brown sugar gives a deeper, more caramel-like flavor. It's all about personal preference!
We believe in using high-quality dark chocolate. Brands like Ghirardelli and Guittard provide delicious options.
If you give this recipe a try, please leave a comment below, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag me @homesweetfarmhome on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with and share with our community. Cheers!
Recipe Card
Pecan Espresso & Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
Brown the Butter:
- Browning butter happens quickly and can go from perfect to burnt very quickly so keep an eye on your stove and a heat-proof dish nearby.
- Place 2 tablespoons butter in a pan on medium heat and whisk consistently.
- As the butter melts, it will start to froth and sizzle. It will turn golden brown in about 5-8 minutes and release a nutty aroma.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into your heat-proof dish to halt the cooking.
- Whisk the espresso powder into the brown butter and allow to cool in heat-proof dish for 5-10 minutes.
Make the Dough:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the brown butter espresso powder mixture on high speed for 1 minute until creamy.
- Switch to medium-high speed and add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until the mixture is completely creamed and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs to the mixture and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Next, add vanilla extract. Beat until everything is well combined.
- On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Pour pecans and dark chocolate chips into the batter and fold in by hand to incorporate.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoons), scoop dough and roll it into a ball.
- Chill the cookie dough balls for at least 1 hour.
- Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Place cookie dough on baking sheets, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges of the cookie just begin to turn golden brown and the centers look slightly under-baked.
- Remove the pan from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Remi Watts says
A fusion of flavors that works wonders. Exciting and unique - love, love, love this recipe!