Southern-Style Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies

These Southern-Style Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies are soft in the center, lightly crisp around the edges, and filled with warm, buttery flavor. Brown sugar gives them deep caramel notes, while toasted pecans add that unmistakable Southern crunch—perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional but recommended)
• 1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven and pecans
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. If not already toasted, spread the chopped pecans on a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Let them cool completely.
2. Cream the butter and sugars
   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. This step helps create soft, tender cookies.
3. Add wet ingredients
   Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth.
4. Mix dry ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
5. Fold in pecans
   Gently fold in the toasted pecans, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Shape the cookies
   Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten the tops with your fingers for even baking.
7. Bake
   Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers remain soft. Do not overbake—cookies will firm up as they cool.
8. Cool and serve
   Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

✨ Tip: For an extra Southern touch, sprinkle a few chopped pecans and a pinch of brown sugar on top of each dough ball before baking.