I'll admit, there's a lot going on in these Maple Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies. Heck, the name itself is a mouthful. But trust me. And stay with me here! All of these flavors and textures are dang near perfect together.
I mean. Chewy cookies studded with melty dark chocolate and crunchy pecans, topped with sea salt, AND a hit of sweet maple bourbon flavor? Come on.
These cookies include some of the same delicious smoked maple bourbon that I used to make these Maple Bourbon Moscow Mules. While the maple version isn't 100% necessary, I do think that it tastes particularly good with the brown sugar heavy flavor of these cookies. It also makes them extra Autumnal, in my opinion.
Looking for more bourbon-y baked goods? Mini Bourbon Pecan Pies and No-Bake Bourbon Balls are always a hit!
In the mood for a cocktail? How about a Bourbon Pumpkin Shrub Cocktail, Bourbon Moscow Mule, or Maple Bourbon Moscow Mule??
This recipe comes from Baker By Nature.
✨ Recipe
Maple Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
For the brown butter
- 16 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the buttered pecans
- 1 ½ cups pecans , finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon bourbon maple syrup
For the cookie dough
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup brown sugar , packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon smoked maple bourbon see notes
- 2 eggs
- 12 oz dark chocolate , roughly chopped, plus more for pressing into the tops of the cookies
- 36 pecan halves for pressing into the tops of each cookie, see notes
- sea salt see notes
Instructions
To make the brown butter
- Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook for about 3 minutes (stirring pretty much constantly) until the butter has browned.
- Pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl. Make sure to scrape all of the toasty, brown bits into the bowl as well.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or until the butter is at room temperature. It should not be liquid at all.
To make the buttered pecans
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and maple syrup and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Set them aside until needed.
To make the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, and baking soda together. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, on medium speed, cream the brown butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and bourbon and beat until combined.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating until they are totally combined.
- A little at a time, add the flour. Mix until the flour has just disappeared.
- Add the chocolate and pecans. Mix to distribute throughout the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the cookie dough out onto the prepared baking sheets. Press pecan halves and chopped chocolate into the top of the cookie dough, if desired.
- Bake 9-10 minutes, or until golden brown at the edges but still soft in the middle. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Notes
- More on how to make brown butter
- I used Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon, but use whatever bourbon you like/have on hand
- I pressed more than 1 pecan half into the top of each cookie, but you do you.
- I really love Maldon sea salt
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
These look like quite the cookie! Love how chocked full of goodies they are! I'll take a dozen please 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
These look like quite the cookie! Love how chocked full of goodies they are! I'll take a dozen please 🙂
Steve
How much maple syrup do you add to the pecans,or can I use maple extract
laurenpacek
Hi Steve, I used 2 tbsp maple syrup. I haven't tried it with maple extract, so I don't want to steer you wrong.