Pecan Praline Cookies

These Pecan Praline Cookies are a sweet and salty masterpiece, bursting with the rich flavors of caramelized pecans and a hint of praline. Soft and chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, these cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth or as a thoughtful gift for friends and family.

Ready Time

45 mins

Yields

8 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon praline flavor (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms.

Stir in the chopped pecans and praline flavor, if using.

Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Make sure to use softened butter for the best results – it will make creaming the butter and sugars a breeze! Use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugars, it’ll save you some serious elbow grease. Don’t overmix the dough, it can lead to tough cookies.

Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients come together in a ball.

If using praline flavor, start with a small amount and taste as you go, it can be quite strong. These cookies will spread a bit during baking, so leave enough space between them.

Keep an eye on the cookies during the last 2 minutes of baking, they can go from perfect to burnt quickly.

Let the cookies cool completely on the wire rack before storing them in an airtight container, they’ll retain their texture better.