Slice and Bake Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookies
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
Shortbread cookies made with brown sugar and chopped pecans then drizzled with milk or dark chocolate and sprinkled with flaky sea salt for the ultimate slice and bake cookie.
I’m always looking for cookies that are easy to make. Generally I find the drop cookies are the easiest because you make them, you scoop them, then you drop them on a cookie sheet and bake. However, whenever I want to make the dough ahead of time the best cookies are slice and bake cookies.
I know when people hear slice and bake cookies they often think of the pre-made ones in the grocery store. These are the same concept but they are homemade and there’s no way anyone is mistaking these cookies for store bought.
If you like pecans and chocolate these are the holiday cookie for you. It’s a buttery, nutty, shortbread cookie drizzled with chocolate then finished off with flaky sea salt and they are so easy to make!
For this recipe you will need:
- butter
- vanilla (the real stuff, not imitation)
- brown sugar
- flour
- pecans
- egg
- coarse sanding or turbinado sugar
- milk or dark chocolate
- flaky sea salt
- sprinkles (optional)
To make these cookies basically you combine the butter, vanilla, and brown sugar in a bowl until combined. Then you mix in the flour and finely chopped pecans. That’s it. These cookies seriously only have five ingredients in them. Could you even make an easier cookie?
Then you need to shape the cookie dough into a log. This is where I had trouble. I was rushing so while the basic shape of mine was right, the bottom ended up flat. You know what? It didn’t make any difference and these cookies still rocked.
At this point you wrap the cookie dough log in plastic wrap and then either stick in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours or the freezer for up to 3 months. One of the reasons I love a good slice and bake cookie is because you can make the dough, shape it, then freeze it for months before needing it.
When you are ready to bake the cookies you take the dough out of the refrigerator and brush it all over with egg. Then roll it in the coarse sugar so the outside is coated in it. This gives the cookies some texture and a bit of sparkle.
The cookies are then sliced, put on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and baked. It is so important to let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets or else they will crumble as you try to get them off. They are super delicate when they are warm but become more sturdy as they cool.
Once the cookies are cool the fun part comes. Warm up milk or dark chocolate and place in either a bowl or a zip top baggie. You can drizzle the chocolate on the cookies, make a design, use a spoon to simply spoon it on, or dunk the cookies in. Quickly sprinkle with sea salt before the chocolate hardens.
For an added bit of fun use a few sprinkles on each cookie! I used gold sprinkles on a third of my cookies, holiday red and green sprinkles on another third, then left the others plain. I loved all three of them!
These cookies are super delicious. The cookie itself is buttery and delicate but packs a nutty punch from the pecans. The chocolate adds a bit of richness and the salt is the perfect contract. The sprinkles are just a fun addition. I’m sure these are going to be a new tradition around our house!
Pro Tips and Substitutions:
- Feel free to use white chocolate, caramel, or any other drizzle you want with these cookies. The sky is the limit!
- Want extra nuttiness? After drizzling with chocolate try sprinkling the cookies with sea salt and chopped nuts!
- Give your cookies some extra sparkle with colored sand sugars instead of plain on the outside of the cookies.
Slice and Bake Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1 3/4 c. flour
- 3/4 c. pecans finely chopped
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 c. coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar
- 1 c. milk or dark chocolate
- flaky sea salt
- sprinkles if desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour and mix until well combined.
- Fold in the pecans.
- Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a long log that is 12 inches log and 2 inches wide.
- Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.
- When ready to make the cookies preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wrap the dough and place it on a cutting board.
- Brush the dough with the egg and then roll it in the sugar, covering the outside.
- Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 1/2 in slices. Place on a cookie sheet and beat for 12- 14 minutes or until the edges begin to get golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet.
- Melt the chocolate and then either drizzle it on top of the cookies, dip the cookies into it, or put in a piping bag and pipe designs on the cookies.
- Quickly sprinkle with sea salt and sprinkles if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Monday Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Almond Joy Cookies from Cheese Curd in Paradise
- British Brandy Snaps from Art of Natural Living
- Chewy Gingerdoodles from Blogghetti
- Chocolate Mint Thumbprints from Sweet Beginnings
- Chocolate Peppermint Stuffed Cookies from Family Around the Table
- Confetti Sprinkle Cookies from Shockingly Delicious
- Easy Peanut Butter Cookies from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- M&M Santa Cookies from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
- Eggnog Cookies from Devour Dinner
- Gluten-Free Pistachio Cacao Cookies from Frugal & Fit
- Gingerbread Cookies from Jen around the world
- Lemon Drop Cookies from Take Two Tapas
- Magic Cookie Bars from Leftovers Then Breakfast
- Mandarin Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies from Palatable Pastime
- Molasses Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Mulled Cider Spiced Brown Sugar Cookies from The Spiffy Cookie
- Old Fashioned Spritz Cookies from An Affair from the Heart
- Orange-Scented Alfajores from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Grape Nuts from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Quick Maple Oatmeal Cookies from Christmas Tree Lane
- Salted Caramel Fudge Drops from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Santa Hat Red Velvet Mini Cookie Cups from Magical Ingredients
- Slice and Bake Butter Pecan Cookies from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Spiced Christmas Cookies from Daily Dish Recipes
- The Best Slice and Bake Christmas Cookies from Kate’s Recipe Box
These cookies are everything! I love the int of salt that balances out the chocolate and those crunchy pecans!
I have never made slice and bake cookies. These look so delicious. And I love the butter pecan flavors in there.
Easy to make cookies are the best, especially when you can fancy them up with melted chocolate or sprinkles!
Slice and bake cookies are always great to have around when you get a cookie craving!
I think these slice and bake sound really tasty. And what a fun and practical technique to master!
These slice and bake cookies look delicious and I they are so easy to make too!
Pecan and chocolate? Yes, please! And I love that they’re slice and bake!
Those cookies look delicious. I love butter pecan ice cream so I’m going to make a batch of these for the holidays.
Slice and bake is one of my favorite ways to plan ahead for the holidays. These sound delicious.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that hint of salt to balance out the sweet. Perfection!
The flavor profile sounds amazing. and I adore a tea cookie. So delicious.
I love slice and bake cookies as I can have dough ready whenever I want. These cookies with pecan sound absolutely delisous!
I love slice and bake cookies, especially because I can make up a few at a time or even prepare the dough nice and early.
These sound so good, I love butter pecan but you kicked that up a whole level with that chocolate! YUM!!
They are such a great addition to any cookie tray!
Slice and bake cookies are perfect to have in the refrigerator over the holidays. You can bake them up fresh right before guests arrive. Nothing better than a warm cookie fresh from the oven.
Christmas cookies are the best! What a fun combination of flavors in this cookie. Can’t wait to give them a try.