Maple Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

cooling the butter2

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories:

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 tbs 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

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.

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.

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