White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

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These white chocolate pecan cookies are the kind of homemade treat that makes the whole kitchen feel cozy. Whether you call them white chocolate chip cookies with pecans or pecan white chocolate chip cookies, they’re packed with creamy white chocolate chips, melty white chocolate chunks, and buttery toasted pecans in every bite.

The dough comes together quickly with no chilling required, and the cookies bake up thick, soft, and perfectly chewy with lightly golden edges. As they bake, the sweet aroma of toasted pecans, vanilla, and warm cookies fills the kitchen, making it nearly impossible to wait for them to cool.

Why You’ll Love These White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

These pecan white chocolate chip cookies are loaded with TWO kinds of white chocolate for maximum gooey goodness. The combination of white chocolate chips and white chocolate melts gives you pockets of creamy sweetness throughout, while the toasted pecans add that buttery, nutty crunch that makes every bite interesting.

These chewy white chocolate pecan cookies are easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and come together in about 30 minutes. The dough doesn’t require chilling (unless you want extra thick cookies), so you can have warm, fresh-baked cookies ready fast. Plus, they stay soft for days when stored properly!

Ingredients You Need for White Chocolate Pecan Cookies Recipe

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1-2 tablespoons of flour can be added if you want even thicker cookies, but make sure you are measuring flour correctly.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter see notes below, room temperature
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips, I used Ghirardelli
• 1 ½ cups white chocolate melts, I used Merkens, can also use chocolate candy bar chunks
• 1 cup roasted pecans, chopped
• optional: sea salt or chocolate drizzles

Instructions How to Make White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.. (To get best results, use parchment paper)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk or sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda and salt together.
3. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat together the butter, and sugars until smooth and mixed together well.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed until mixed in.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix in until just incorporated.
6. Add chocolate chips and continue mixing on low or stir in with a wooden spoon, without overmixing, just until cookie batter is incorporated.
7. Using a small or large ice cream scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, 6 to 8 per pan, depending on size you are making. To get extra thick cookies, place all the cookie dough scoops in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before baking and.
8. If you like rolling cookie dough balls, you can do that as well, just don’t overwork the cookie dough for the best texture and flavor.
9. Bake the cookies, 1 cookie sheet at a time, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned and the tops feel firm when lightly touched,
10. Small cookies bake 8-10 minutes, Large cookies bake 10-13 minutes, Extra large cookies 14-18 minutes
11. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. if wanting to add sea salt on top, you can sprinkle it on the cookies while they are still hot.
12. Makes 15-30 cookies depending on size.

How to Store White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

• Room temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy if you add a slice of bread to the container, which helps retain moisture.
• Refrigerator: You can refrigerate the cookies for up to 1 week. Let them come to room temperature before serving, or warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
• Freezer: These cookies freeze beautifully. Place cooled cookies in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the oven at 300°F for a few minutes.
• Freezing cookie dough: Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

More White Chocolate Pecan Cookies Variations

• Toffee bits: Add ½ cup of toffee bits for a buttery caramel crunch that pairs beautifully with white chocolate and pecans.
• Dried cherries: Swap half the pecans for ½ cup dried tart cherries. The tangy sweetness complements the creamy white chocolate.
• Maraschino cherries: Fold in ½ cup of chopped, well-drained maraschino cherries for a festive twist. Pat them dry to avoid excess moisture in the dough.
• Macadamia nuts: Replace the pecans with macadamia nuts for a classic white chocolate combination.
• Cranberries: Add ½ cup dried cranberries for a tart contrast, especially great for holiday baking.
• Dark chocolate drizzle: After the cookies cool, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top for a stunning contrast and extra chocolatey flavor.

FAQs for White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

• Yes, but reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon to avoid overly salty cookies.

Why did my white chocolate seize or get grainy?

• White chocolate is sensitive to heat. Make sure not to overmix when adding it to warm dough, and avoid overheating if melting for drizzles. Use low heat and stir constantly.

Can I make these without pecans?

• Absolutely. You can omit the nuts entirely or substitute with walnuts, macadamia nuts, or almonds.

Why are my cookies flat?

• This usually happens if the butter was too soft or melted, or if the dough was too warm when baking. Chilling the dough for 15-30 minutes helps cookies hold their shape.

Can I use white chocolate bars instead of chips and melts?

• Yes! Chop a good quality white chocolate bar into chunks. You’ll get beautiful melty pockets throughout the cookies.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

• The edges should be lightly golden and the tops should look set but still slightly soft. They’ll firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.

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White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Soft, chewy cookies loaded with creamy white chocolate chips, white chocolate melts, and crunchy roasted pecans. Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Course Cookies, Dessert, Snack, treat

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 208 kcal

Equipment

• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Electric mixer
• Medium bowl
• Large bowl
• Ice cream scoop or tablespoon
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

  

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Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour add 1-2 tbsp for thicker cookies
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-ins

• 1 cup white chocolate chips Ghirardelli recommended
• 1 ½ cups white chocolate melts Merkens, or chocolate bar chunks
• 1 cup roasted pecans chopped
• sea salt or chocolate drizzles optional topping

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined.
• Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
• Fold in 1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups white chocolate melts, and 1 cup chopped pecans with a wooden spoon.
• Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets, 6-8 per pan. For thicker cookies, chill dough balls for 15-30 minutes before baking.
• Bake one sheet at a time until edges are lightly golden and tops feel set. Small cookies: 8-10 minutes, Large: 10-13 minutes, Extra large: 14-18 minutes.
• Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Sprinkle with sea salt while still warm if desired.

Notes

Butter: Make sure butter is at room temperature, not melted, for the best texture.

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Freezing dough: Scoop dough balls and freeze solid, then store in freezer bags. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to bake time.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 113mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 136IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg

Keyword chewy, chewy cookies, cookies, pecan cookies, pecans, white chocolate, white chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate pecan cookies

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