Gluten-Free Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
I love a good, classic chocolate chip cookie. However, there’s something to be said for versions that take a traditional chocolate chip cookie and amp it up. That’s where these gluten-free pecan chocolate chip cookies come in!
Each bite is a blend of warm, gooey chocolate and nutty pecans, with a perfectly golden edge and a soft center, achieving that sought-after bakery-quality texture and taste.
Whether you’re looking for a fun baking project for a cozy night at home, a delicious gluten-free cookie for your next party or potluck, or a special cookie recipe to place on the table at the holidays, these chocolate chip cookies with pecans are just what you need.
You’ll love this recipe because:
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-free flour blend – This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in the blue bag, which already contains xanthan gum. I cannot verify that other brands of gluten-free flour will work, as I have not tested them and different gluten-free flour blends behave differently in recipes.
- Baking soda – Freshness matters. An old baking soda can cause your cookies not to rise properly. To test its effectiveness, pour a few tablespoons of vinegar into a small bowl and add a teaspoon of baking soda; it should fizz vigorously if it’s still fresh.
- Salt – I used regular table salt for this recipe.
- Ground cinnamon – Adds a subtle warmth and depth to the cookies. Feel free to adjust the amount based on your taste preference or omit it if you’re not a fan of cinnamon. You can’t really taste it in the cookies, it just rounds out the flavor nicely.
- Unsalted butter – Melted butter contributes to the chewiness of the cookies. Make sure it’s cooled slightly before use to avoid cooking the eggs. When using melted butter, it’s very important to chill your dough before baking, otherwise the cookies will spread too much in the oven.
- Brown sugar – Using brown sugar adds moisture and a slight chewiness due to its molasses content.
- Granulated sugar – I prefer combining brown sugar with white sugar in my chocolate chip cookies to achieve the perfect balance of flavor, browning, and sweetness.
- Eggs – I used large eggs that are 50g each. Ensure the eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation into the batter.
- Pure vanilla extract – Pure vanilla adds a rich flavor, as opposed to imitation vanilla, which can sometimes leave a chemical aftertaste.
- Chocolate chunks or chips – Choose high-quality chocolate for the best taste. Dark, milk, or a mix can be used based on personal preference. You can also chop your own chocolate if you prefer to have irregular sized chocolate pieces in your cookies.
- Toasted pecans – Toasting the pecans before adding them to the dough enhances their flavor and crunch. Roughly chop to get pieces that are not too small to add texture to the cookies. I like to do some larger and some smaller for variety in each bite.
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon salt – Sprinkling flaky sea salt on top of the cookies before they cool adds a gourmet touch and a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cookie. You can omit it if you don’t have any on hand, but I highly recommend it.
Toasting pecans before adding them to recipes can significantly enhance their flavor and crunch. There are multiple ways to toast pecans. You can toast them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 7-10 minutes or in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes, until they smell nutty and are lightly toasted.
Step-by-Step instructions
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which already contains xanthan gum. This blend is meant to be used as a 1:1 swap with all-purpose flour and it works perfectly in this gluten-free cookie recipe. I cannot guarantee that other gluten-free flour blends will work in this recipe, as I have not tested them myself.
For the most accurate results, weigh your flour using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, use the spoon-and-level method to avoid packing too much flour into the measuring cup.
Yes, pecans are naturally gluten-free. Nuts in their raw, unprocessed form, including pecans, do not contain gluten, making them safe for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. However, when buying pecans, especially if they’re pre-packaged or flavored, it’s important to check the labels for any added ingredients or processing methods that might introduce gluten.
Toasting pecans deepens their nutty flavor and adds a crunchy texture to the cookies, enhancing the overall taste and experience.
This is largely a matter of personal preference. You can use semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate chips. Personally, I like dark chocolate chips for this recipe. For a gourmet twist, try chopping a high-quality chocolate bar into chunks.
expert tips
Storage instructions
- Storage: Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container. I find these keep well for about 3-4 days at room temperature.
- Freezer Option: This is my preferred method for keeping cookies that I don’t plan on eating with in the next day or so. Flash freeze the baked cookies on a sheet pan. Once frozen, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and label the bag. They’ll stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the dough before baking if you prefer using the same method. You may just need to add an additional minute to the baking time to compensate for baking the dough from frozen.
- Reheat/Thaw: To thaw frozen cookies, leave them on the counter top for about 30 minutes until soft and chewy once again. I love doing this because you can freeze a big batch of cookies and only take out 1-2 to satisfy a cookie craving.
Serving Suggestions
While it’s always a good idea to eat your chocolate chip pecan cookies as is, there are also many fun ways you can serve them to take your cookies to the next level! Here are some of my favorites:
- Briefly warm the cookies in the microwave for a few seconds before serving to enhance their gooey chocolate and toasted pecan flavors, making them taste freshly baked.
- Make a cookie sandwich by spreading a layer of buttercream, ganache or cream cheese frosting in between two cookies. I recommend my brown butter cream cheese frosting, nutella ganache, peanut butter frosting paired with this cookie.
- If you want to make an ice cream sandwich, try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream.
- Melt some chocolate (dark, white, or milk) and dip half of the cookie into it. Sprinkle with some additional flaky sea salt and then allow them to cool on a parchment-lined tray until the chocolate is set.
- Bundle them in cellophane with a ribbon as thoughtful homemade gifts for friends or family or as a party favor at your next gathering.
- Crumble the cookies and use them as a topping for yogurt, oatmeal, or ice cream sundaes. The crumble adds a delightful texture and flavor boost to simple desserts or breakfast dishes.
More gluten-free cookies to try
Did you make this recipe?
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Gluten-Free Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (360g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (7g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (7g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled (170g))
- 1 cup brown sugar (211g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 eggs (100g)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chunks or chips (divided, 300g total)
- 1 cup toasted pecans (roughly chopped (100g))
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon salt)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, baking soda, salt and rground cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Cream with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour, stirring until no more streaks of flour remain.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chunks and 3/4 cups of the toasted pecans, reserving the rest for later.
- Chill the dough for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 2-3 tablespoon balls. You should get about 24 dough balls in total.
- Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 3-4 inches in between each one. I can typically get 6-8 cookies on a sheet at a time. Place any remaining dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Top the cookie dough balls with the remaining chocolate chips and toasted pecans before baking. This will help you get chocolate pockets on top of the cookies as they bake.
- Bake in the middle rack of the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, until the edges of the cookie are lightly browned and the middle is no longer shiny. Let cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt right after removing them from the oven. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Once the cookies have cooled, enjoy!
Notes
- If you have celiac disease or are on a gluten-free diet for any reason, be sure to double check your ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free, as manufacturing practices and ingredient lists can change over time.
- I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, in the blue bag, which already contains xanthan gum. You do not need to add xanthan gum to this recipe because of that. I also cannot guarantee that other gluten-free flour blends will work in this recipe, as they are all so different.
- When measuring gluten-free flour, use a food scale to weigh it for the most accurate results. If you must measure it using a measuring cup, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Avoid scooping directly with the cup to prevent packing and using too much flour, which can result in dry cookies.
- To toast the pecans, you can bake them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 7-10 minutes or place them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes until the pecans smell nutty and are lightly browned. Be sure to keep an eye on them because they can burn very quickly. You don’t want to use burned nuts because they will make the rest of the cookie taste burned, too.
Nutrition
I’m Megan
A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…
