Easy White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

These Easy White Chocolate Pecan Cookies taste like a high-end bakery treat, but they come together with minimal effort and no fancy equipment. The buttery, nutty crunch of toasted pecans pairs absolute magic with sweet, creamy white chocolate chips!

Easy White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Bake time: 9–11 minutes
• Yield: About 12–15 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark; brown sugar keeps them soft and chewy)
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate bars)
• 2/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• Pro-Tip: Toast your chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes until fragrant before adding them—it completely transforms the nutty flavor!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the Oven & Pan: Preheat your oven to $350^\circ\text{F}$ ($175^\circ\text{C}$). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or a spatula to beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy (about 1–2 minutes).
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined and slightly fluffy.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Mix the Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears (do not overmix).
6. Fold in the Goodies: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and toasted chopped pecans using a spatula.
7. Scoop and Bake: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between them.
8. Bake: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. You want the edges to be lightly golden, but the centers should still look soft and slightly underbaked so they stay chewy.
9. Cool: Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they will finish setting up), then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sweet Variations

• Cranberry-Pecan Twist: Swap half of the white chocolate chips for dried cranberries for a gorgeous red-and-white holiday cookie!
• Brown Butter: For an extra-gourmet flavor, brown your butter on the stove before mixing it into the dough.