Name: Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter ((2 sticks)); 2/3 cup light brown sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans; 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; 25-30 pecan halves for the tops

Big on buttery flavor and loaded with pecans and chocolate chips, no one can say no to my butter pecan shortbread cookies recipe.

Jump to Recipe

Y’all know I love me a good shortbread cookie! They are rich, not overly sweet, and big on buttery flavor. But my butter pecan shortbread cookies go one step further. We take an ordinary (but nonetheless delicious) butter shortbread cookie recipe and add pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips to make a cookie everyone can agree on.

Shortbread cookies are so easy to make and this recipe is no exception. They’ll be out of the oven and in your hands in no time (a.k.a about 30 minutes). Besides the pecans and chocolate chips, the remaining ingredients are pretty simple and you probably already have them at home. We’re talking butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, egg, and flour. All you need to do is slowly combine all the ingredients to make the cookie batter and bake!

These pecan shortbread cookies are perfect when served alongside a pot of coffee when sitting around the table with friends catching up on the year. They also make a very thoughtful thank you gift. With fewer and fewer people baking these days, the value of homemade gifts has only increased so I want to encourage you to forego the malls and get in your kitchen instead. You’ll save sanity, money, and the meaningful gesture will definitely be noticed by your friends and loved ones.

Have I made my case yet? Alright, let’s get to baking!

Recipe Ingredients

Unsalted butter
Brown sugar (I use light but dark brown sugar also works)
Egg
Vanilla
All-purpose flour
Salt
Pecans
Semi-sweet chocolate chips

How to Make Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pecans. We’re going to save the rest for the tops.

In a large bowl, place butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Beat this together with an electric mixer until you form a shortbread cookie dough.

Stir together flour and salt and add this in. Beat again to incorporate.

Fold in pecans and chocolate chips.

Scoop this out using a 1-inch cookie dough scoop onto parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheets.

Gently press a pecan half into the top of each cookie.

Bake 10-12 minutes at 375, or until very slightly brown on the bottom.

Note that shortbread cookies don’t brown much at all but after 10-12 minutes they should be fine to remove from the oven.

Allow them to cool before removing them to an airtight container or a serving platter if eating immediately.

Storage

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in a cool spot (like your pantry) for up to 2 weeks. Their long shelf-life is why I love to gift them.

Recipe Notes

If you use salted butter, omit the extra salt we add.
If you like, while still warm, sprinkle the tops with a little granulated sugar or powdered sugar.
To bring out the nutty pecan flavor, you can toast them on a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes. Let them cool before chopping/adding them to the top of each cookie.
For extra flavor, substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract or use half and half.