Y’all! These cookies!
Imagine the perfect chocolate chip cookie – crisp on the outside, chewy and rich on the inside, studded with pecans and toffee, and with the perfect blend of sweet and salty flavors. They might actually be my new favorite cookie. And I have super high standards when it comes to cookies.
I’ve been working for weeks to get these just right. I’ve probably made 6 or 8 batches of cookies. It’s been a tough job. {grins}
I just love the science aspect of cooking. Knowing how different ingredients affect the end product is super fascinating and pretty important for a recipe developer.
So creating the perfect cookie recipe took a little science. And while I won’t bore you with all the little details, I think there are a few things that bear mentioning. I think it makes us all better cooks, right?? Here we go…
White Sugar and Brown Sugar
White sugar gives the cookie its crispy exterior. Brown sugar, with its molasses, gives the cookie a chewy texture. I think the perfect cookie is both crisp and chewy, so I’ve included both.
Eggs
I know how frustrating it is to find a recipe that calls for a whole egg and one egg yolk. You’re left with the extraneous egg white and hate to throw it out. I get it. Well, if it wasn’t absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t include it. I promise.
That extra yolk gives the cookie an extra richness, but I find that two whites makes the cookies spread a bit too much. It would require you to chill the dough, and I hate waiting for cookie dough to chill. When I want cookies, I want them right then! If nothing else, pop that extra white in the fridge in a sealed container or zip-top bag and add it to scrambled eggs this weekend.
Vanilla Extract
I like cookies to have tons of vanilla flavor – especially these. So I typically add 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of vanilla extract to mine. Most recipes this size call for 2 teaspoons. But feel free to add whichever amount you think will best suit your taste. When it comes to the brand, I typically use Watkins Baking Vanilla in the test kitchen because it is readily available at most supermarkets and super centers, but you use whatever your favorite is.
Now go make these cookies! You’re going to love them! And you’re going to love just how easy they are!
Recipe Card
Chocolate Chip Toffee Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (see note)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (see recipe for measuring instructions)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped toffee pieces (like Heath Bits o' Brickle English Toffee Bits)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Â
- In large bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. The butter should be soft enough to mix thoroughly, but not melted. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk and stir until combined.
- In another bowl, measure the flour by spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Add the baking soda and salt and whisk together.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine. This might take some work, but it will combine.
- Add the chocolate chips, pecans, and toffee pieces. Mix well. Allow the dough to rest about 5 minutes.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough out onto the prepared pan placing them about 4 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Work in batches to use the remaining dough. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
These are so delicious. Just the right amount of ingredients. I make these weekly and the neighbors keep asking for more.
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed these, Michelle!
No pecans, but made them anyways. Fantastic and a cut above chocolate chip cookies. The toffee makes such a difference. I scooped out the cookies and refrigerated for half an hour and they didn’t spread. This recipe is a keeper.
So glad to hear they turned out great for you!
Stacy, why unsalted butter? Can’t I just use salted butter and delete the tsp of salt? I do have limited space in fridge; also since I’m on my “rant”, why do so many of recipe developers use “self-rising flour/cornmeal”? Again, due to limited space, I only stock one–and it is usually regular flour
Why not just do it without comment?
Yes, you can do that, but being that the amount of salt in salted butter varies by brand. This method provides a more consistent result. When it comes to the self-rising issue, my goal is to make cooking approachable and using products like these help to make recipes more approachable by eliminating a few steps. But, I have recipes to make all-purpose into self-rising for both flour and cornmeal on the site.
I have been making a similar recipe for years, and my kids love them. If I make the whole recipe, I bake half and make half into balls, freeze until firm on a cookie sheet, then place in a freezer ziplock bag for the next time. Or send them home with my kids to bake when they have a snack attack. Makes me a very popular grandma.
That’s a great idea!!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
It took a while to locate the toffee bits-finally I found them and made these cookies-they are wonderful!
Glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Great cookies! I added the 3 tsp of vanilla but cooked for 14 min. I like mine more on the crispy side.
Glad you enjoyed them!
We have the problem here of butter cookies turning hard in under 12 hours. I usually sub out one tablespoon of the butter with one tablespoon on crisco. I hope that this will work with these.
Let us know how these turn out!
I MADE THESE YESTERDAY AND THEY ARE SO GOOD………THANKS FOR SHARING THE RECIPE…….
So glad to hear you enjoyed them, Diane!
This are terrific and so easy. So flavorful and great texture! I can only find the Heath chips in the store during the holidays but buy them year round on Amazon. I think 1 t. of salt is too much and prefer 1/2 t.
Thanks, Michelle! Glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Have you ever frozen these cookies? I make cookies for my customers at Christmas time and I typically like to bake and freeze them a couple months ahead of time.
Hi Jennifer! I haven’t tried that. I’m honestly a little worried about the humidity of the freezer combined with the toffee. It’s might melt. Some other sites say you can, but many recommend freezing the dough rather than the baked cookies. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
I just made these and they are wonderful. Do you think they would be good if I froze some for a few weeks…maybe in some ziplock bags with wax paper in between the layers?
I’ve not tried that, but I bet it should work.
I must say, this is my new favorite cookie! Absolutely delicious. The entire family loves them too.
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Love them!! Easy to mix & loved the extra vanilla!! Hubby loved them, as well.
Love them!! Easy to mix & loved the extra vanilla!! Hubby loved them, as well
Glad to hear it!! Thanks for letting me know!
I love the way you place little bits of nuts and toffee and chocolate bits on the top before baking… really makes them into eye candy as well :)))
We eat with our eyes first, right? 🙂 Thank you!!
Made these today, don’t make cookies very often but these are going on the keeper list! I used my stand mixer, they came together very well and I didn’t have to kill myself mixing by hand. I did two pans free form and one using an indented cookie pan. Both turned out perfectly, didn’t spread too much and the hubby approves.
Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear they turned out fantastic for you!
OK, Stacey. I am printing this recipe and will make it this weekend. Can’t wait.
Hope you enjoyed them, Marvina!
These cookies taste fantastic! The only question I have is mine spread out to flat and didn’t look like your picture. What can I do different?
This is the perpetual issue with baking recipes that don’t use weight measurement. That said, the easiest way to fix it is to chill the dough, then scoop it and bake. I’ve not had to do that with this recipe, but it usually means the fat to flour ratio might be off a bit and chilling it will slow the butter melting down a bit.
Can you substitute egg in this recipe?
I wouldn’t recommend it.
I agree. Also, make sure your butter is not TOO soft. It should not look glossy and melty. I keep my baking chips and nuts in the freezer which helps keep the cookie dough cold as well. Never use a warm or hot cookie sheet.
Great tip! Thanks, Michelle!
I do half Crisco and half butter. Same great taste but the cookies do not spread out so much. Still great tasting!
Great tip! I’ll have to try that. Thanks for sharing.
Can’t wait to try these. My husband is going to love them. Love the browned crunchy edges. We’ve found using kosher salt it doesn’t all dissolve in dough so we get a hit of salty every so often with the sweet. There’s a salty flake that comes through and it’s a nice surprise. We’ve decided we like that in the choc chip cookies. Also have you ever used Reese pieces in choc chip cookies. That’s good too! Happy Baking!
Hope you’ll enjoy them!
Stacey,
These cookies were superb! I am like you, I love vanilla and always add more than called for in the recipe. I also like to add some cinnamon especially when I am making cookies, or anything that has chocolate in it. I took the liberty of adding some cinnamon to this recipe and YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Thank you Stacey for sharing this recipe.
Claudine in Fort Worth, TX
Wonderful, Claudine! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Sounds like a must-try recipe! Is there a reason not to use a mixer?
You can use a mixer for sure. It’s just not necessary.
These do look good, can’t wait to try them..Mmmm chocolate chips, toffee and pecans yum!
Hope you love them as much as we do!