Vegan Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Name: Vegan Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 62 min
Ingredients: 150 g vegan butter (block-style) (+ 1 tbsp for frying *see note 1); 110 g soft brown sugar; 130 g pecans; 135 g granulated sugar; 40 g vegan Greek-style yogurt or skyr (or regular unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt); 2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 200 g all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; 120 g vegan chocolate (I use "milk" style, cut into chunks); 40 g pretzels (optional)

Today I'm proud to introduce my Browned Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies – a treat that promises to transport you to vegan cookie nirvana!

Imagine taking a bite into a cookie that's a perfect harmony of salty-sweet, where luscious chocolate chips meld seamlessly with the earthy, toasty tones of pecans and the crunch of salted pretzels. YUM!

Side on shot of a stack of 4 vegan chocolate chip pecan cookies with the top two cut in half to reveal their fudgy center.

Jump to:

📖 Recipe Overview
🧾 Ingredients Needed
🥣 How To Make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
🥨 Variations
📝 Recipe Tips
💬 FAQs
🍪 More Vegan Cookies
Vegan Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

📖 Recipe Overview

Simply Made With Pantry Staples - Chances are, you already have most of what you need to make these chewy chocolate chip cookies with pecans.
Salty-Sweet - The nutty depth of browned vegan butter perfectly complements the earthy richness of pecans. The crunch of pretzels add an extra salty kick, and luscious chocolate chunks melt into every bite, ensuring this chocolate chip pecan cookie recipe is truly unforgettable.
Perfect for Sharing - Whether you’re plotting a bake sale, hosting a holiday cookie swap, or simply want to brighten your neighbor’s day, these chocolate chip with pecan cookies are a surefire hit.

Love all varieties of pecan desserts? Try my plant-based recipes for pecan pie, sticky pecan buns, caramel pecan cheesecake, and pecan pie cupcakes next!

🧾 Ingredients Needed

As promised, you only need simple ingredients to make these chocolate chip and pecan cookies. Here’s what to grab:

Ingredient Notes

Vegan Butter - Make sure you’re reaching for block-style butter sticks such as Violife block or flora plant butter, not spreadable margarine from a tub, and don’t forget the extra tablespoon to toast your buttered pecans!
Brown Sugar - You can use either light or dark brown sugar, depending on how pronounced you want the molasses flavor to be. You’re also welcome to use muscovado sugar for a less-processed alternative.
Pecans - I suggest you reach for pecan pieces rather than expensive “fancy pecan halves” — save those for showstoppers like my caramel pecan cheesecake!
Granulated Sugar - If you live in the US, make sure to reach for organic cane sugar to ensure it’s vegan-friendly.
Vegan Greek-Style Yogurt - This acts like eggs, helping to bind the batter while imparting some fat into the dough. You’re also welcome to use vegan skyr, or regular unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt.
Vanilla Extract - For rich, aromatic warmth. You can use an equal amount of vanilla paste if you prefer.
Cinnamon - I love the warmth of cinnamon in these cookies, but if you’re more of a purist, you’re welcome to omit it.
Vegan Chocolate - I suggest using bar chocolate cut into chunks for the meltiest texture. I use "milk" style, but you can use white, semi-sweet, or dark if you prefer.
Pretzels - While optional, I find that pretzels add an extra layer of texture and a certain je ne sais quois to these pecan and chocolate chip cookies.

🥣 How To Make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Browned butter in a saucepan with a silver spoon taking some out to show the deep golden brown color.

Step 1: Brown the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Constantly stir until the butter turns a golden brown color and there is a nutty buttery aroma.

Browned butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl after whisking.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the browned butter and brown sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Pecans toasting in the saucepan with an extra tab of butter.

Step 3: Toss the pecans in the same saucepan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Yogurt, vanilla, and granulated sugar added to the bowl with the brown sugar and browned butter.

Step 4: Add granulated sugar, vegan yogurt, and vanilla to the brown butter and sugar mixture and whisk to combine.

Dry ingredients added to the vegan browned butter cookie dough.

Step 5: Fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula until almost mixed through but there are still some streaks of flour.

Chocolate chunks, toasted pecans, and broken pretzels added to the dough.

Step 6: Fold in around ¾ toasted pecans, chocolate chunks, and pretzels until just combined. Cover the bowl with the cookie dough with some clingfilm or a plate and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Small scoops of vegan browned butter pecan cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet topped with extra pecans, chocolate chunks and pretzels.

Step 7: Use a cookie scoop to separate the dough into 9 portions. Place the cookie dough balls on the lined sheets - be careful to leave at least 2.5 inches of space between each ball of dough as they will spread whilst baking!

Cookie sheet after baking off the vegan pecan chocolate chip cookies.

Step 8: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Then use a large cookie cutter or glass to carefully round off and shape the edges of the hot cookies.

🥨 Variations

While I think this recipe for chocolate chip pecan cookies is superlative, there are plenty of ways for you to make it your own:

Pecan White Chocolate Cookies - While I prefer milk chocolate next to the pecans and pretzels, dairy-free white chocolate is a fun substitute! You’re also welcome to mix and match multiple types of chocolate if you like.
Swap Your Nuts - Try using chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, or even peanuts for a different experience.
Add-Ins - Feel free to go full kitchen-sink with these vegan pecan chocolate chip cookies. The combo of nuts, chocolate, and pretzels is lovely, but consider adding even more interest to the mix with dried fruits, cereal, or seeds.

📝 Recipe Tips

Don’t skip the rest. Allowing the flour some time to rehydrate by resting the dough in the fridge will yield better textural results.

Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop for evenly sized-treats. Go a step further towards creating bakery chocolate chip cookies by rounding off the edges. Use a round cookie cutter that’s larger than the baked cookies, then place it around each baked chocolate chip pecan cookie while it’s warm and make a swirling motion.

Stud the tops. Reserving some of your mix-ins to add to the cookie tops right before and after baking will result in extra indulgent treats.

Let the cookies cool completely before digging in. If you eat them while they’re still warm, the pretzels end up tasting a bit stale.

💬 FAQs

Are pecans good in chocolate chip cookies?

In my humble opinion, pecans are excellent in chocolate chip cookies. They add a rich, nutty flavor and a delightful crunch, complementing the sweetness of the chocolate perfectly.

What makes cookies chewy instead of crispy?

These cookies are chewy instead of crispy due to their higher moisture content. This comes from using ingredients like brown sugar, and Greek yogurt, and a higher ratio of wet to dry ingredients. Additionally, underbaking cookies slightly can also contribute to a chewier texture, which I happen to love.

What’s the best way to store these pecan chocolate chip cookies?

Once cool, transfer the cookies to an airtight container. They will keep well at room temp for about 5 days. If you’d like to extend their life, they freeze well for up to a month.

Alternatively, feel free to freeze balls of cookie dough to bake off whenever you get a homemade cookie craving! The dough should keep well for up to a month.