Description
These indulgent vanilla bean toffee pecan cookies combine brown butter, creamy white chocolate, crunchy toffee pecans, and real vanilla bean for an irresistibly rich and tender cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
- 7 oz high-quality white chocolate, chopped
- Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp honey
- Large pinch of kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups cake flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate over low heat or in short microwave bursts until smooth. Stir in the fresh vanilla bean seeds and a pinch of salt. Spread thin on a parchment-lined sheet, chill in the fridge until set, then chop into chunks. Keep chilled.
- Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter, light brown sugar, honey, and salt until melted and well blended.
- Stir the chopped pecans into the butter-sugar mixture until glossy. Spread evenly across the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely, then break into small crunchy toffee pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter together with the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and honey until smooth.
- Whisk in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the batter lightens in color and becomes thick and glossy.
- Gently fold in the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt just until a soft dough forms. Carefully stir in the chilled vanilla bean white chocolate chunks and chopped toffee pecans.
- Scoop dough into 10 to 12 large balls onto a parchment-lined sheet. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Space chilled dough balls apart on lined baking sheets. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until edges are set and golden brown, while centers remain tender.
- Press extra pieces of white chocolate and toffee pecans into the tops while cookies are still warm. Let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
For the deepest brown butter flavor, chill the dough overnight. Using cake flour creates an exceptionally delicate, soft, and tender crumb while chilling helps prevent excess spreading.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 70mg